| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09232686B2 |
Thin film based electromagnetic interference shielding with BBUL/coreless packages
An apparatus including a die including a device side with contact points and lateral sidewalls defining a thickness of the die; a build-up carrier coupled to the die, the build-up carrier including a plurality of alternating layers of patterned conductive material and insulating material, wherein at least one of the layers of patterned conductive material is coupled to one of the contact points of the die; and an interference shield including a conductive material disposed on the die and a portion of the build-up carrier. The apparatus may be connected to a printed circuit board. A method including forming a build-up carrier adjacent a device side of a die including a plurality of alternating layers of patterned conductive material and insulating material; and forming a interference shield on a portion of the build-up carrier. |
| US09232685B2 |
Cooling circuit with a sufficiently accurately measured heat exchanger
An exemplary power electronics module includes a first power electronics element that generates a first heat flow during operation of the power electronics module, a second power electronics element that generates a second heat flow during operation of the power electronics module. The first cooler is in thermal contact with the first power electronics element to receive at least part of the first heat flow. The second cooler is in thermal contact with the second power electronics element to receive at least part of the second heat flow. A heat exchanger is configured to transmit at least part of the first heat flow and the second heat flow to a primary cooling flow and transfer heat flow in a thermally efficient manner. A magnitude of the heat flow is less than a total magnitude that is formed from a maximum first heat flow and a maximum second heat flow. |
| US09232680B2 |
Frame structure for preventing deformation, and electronic device including the same
An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a main frame, an opening portion formed in the main frame, a recess portion formed along a frame of the opening portion lower than a surface of the main frame, and a plate having frames seated on the recess portion, wherein at least one of the frames of the plate is formed of a curved portion that is curved inwardly. Accordingly, it is possible to absorb an external impact and prevent deformation just by a simple structure change of the plate. |
| US09232674B2 |
Cover structure and electronic device using the same
A cover structure for an electronic device comprises a protective cover and a touch element. The protective cover is connected with the electronic device, and the protective cover is capable of being rotated with respect to the electronic device to a front side or a rear side of the electronic device. The touch element is disposed at the protective cover and can be exerted by an external force to touch the electronic device and activate corresponding functions of the electronic device. |
| US09232673B2 |
Ceramic electronic component including coating layer
A ceramic electronic component includes a ceramic body; a plurality of internal electrodes provided in the ceramic body and including ends exposed on a surface of the ceramic body; a coating layer covering a surface portion of the ceramic body on which the internal electrodes are exposed, the coating layer being made of a glass or resin medium in which metal powder particles are dispersed; and an electrode terminal provided directly on the coating layer and including a plating film. The metal powder particles define conduction paths electrically connecting the internal electrodes with the electrode terminal and have an elongated shape in cross section along a thickness direction of the coating layer. The metal powder particles defining the conduction paths have a maximum diameter not smaller than the thickness of the coating layer. |
| US09232672B2 |
Ceramic insert control mechanism
A control mechanism for an electronic device comprises a cover glass having an aperture defined therein. The aperture extends from an interior to an exterior of the device. A control member is positioned within the aperture, coupled to an actuator. The control member comprises a ceramic insert having a contact surface exposed to the exterior of the housing, operable to actuate the actuator in response to a force on the contact surface. A bearing member is molded about the insert. The bearing member has a hardness less than that of the ceramic insert, and less than that of the cover glass. |
| US09232671B2 |
Stand structure and portable electronic device with stand
An exemplary stand structure includes a base board, telescopic supporting rods, and a holding base. The supporting rods are retractable into the base board with the holding base detachably engaged on the base board. When the base board needs to be supported in a slanting orientation, the holding base is detached from the base board, the supporting rods depart from the base board, and the supporting rods are extended to lengths and locations at which the holding base is in a desired position to support the base board. |
| US09232668B2 |
Compact ejectable component assemblies in electronic devices
Electronic devices are provided with ejectable component assemblies. Each ejectable component assembly may include a tray that can be loaded with one or more types of removable module, such as a mini-SIM card and a micro-SIM card, and inserted into the device. Each assembly may also include a base coupled to a circuit board for electrically coupling with the removable module, a cage for biasing the module down against the base, and a guide for retaining the module at a functional insertion position within the device. |
| US09232667B2 |
Display device
A display device includes a casing, a frame, a backlight module, at least one cable, and a display panel. The casing has a display opening. The frame is disposed in an inner edge of the display opening, wherein the frame has at least a cable management groove and a support surface. The backlight module is disposed on the frame. The cable is disposed in the cable management groove. The display panel is disposed on the frame and located in the display opening, wherein an edge portion of the display panel is located on the support surface, and the support surface supports the edge portion of the display panel. A part of the cable management groove is located under the display panel and at least partially overlapped with the edge portion. |
| US09232662B2 |
Manufacturing method for wiring board
The method includes: preparing a first substrate including first wirings; preparing a mold having a stamping surface that includes convex portions formed depending on wiring patterns of a second substrate to be laminated on the first substrate and projections formed depending on via patterns; pressing, while heating, the mold against the second insulating sheet so that end portions of the projections are exposed at the other main surface side of the second insulating sheet; laminating, while heating, the second insulating sheet on a first insulating sheet so that the exposed end portions contact the first wirings; releasing, the mold from the second insulating sheet; and filling a conductive material in groove portions and holes formed in the second insulating sheet. |
| US09232661B1 |
Magnetically controllable fluidic etching process
The method includes applying a magnetic etching ferrofluid, that contains an aqueous etchant solution within one or more reverse micelles responsive to a magnetic field, onto the substrate at a first depth. The method also includes creating a magnetic field at a first strength that causes the reverse micelle to move in a first direction at a first rate. The method also includes determining whether the substrate is at a second depth. The method also includes reducing, in response to the substrate being at a second depth, the magnetic field to a second strength to cause the reverse micelle to move in the first direction at a second rate. |
| US09232653B2 |
Multilayer wiring board
Provided is a multilayer wiring board, wherein impedance matching can be achieved in a via connection section by means of a configuration, which has a simple structure, and which can be easily processed. In the multilayer wiring board including a ground layer (401) of a layer (1), and a signal line (102) of a layer (2), an elliptical through hole is formed in the ground layer (401), said through hole being at a position facing a part of the signal line (102). The elliptical through hole overlaps the signal line (102) by a length of lambda/36-lambda/2 in the long axis direction, Impedance of the signal line (102) can be adjusted by adjusting the size of the through hole. |
| US09232648B2 |
Molybdenum compound powder, prepreg, and laminate
The present invention provides a novel surface-treated molybdenum compound powder and provides a prepreg, a laminate, a metal foil laminate, a printed wiring board, and the like that have a low thermal expansion coefficient in the planar direction, and excellent drillability, heat resistance, and flame retardancy. The surface-treated molybdenum compound powder of the present invention has at least part of the surface thereof coated with an inorganic oxide, and this is used as a filler. |
| US09232647B2 |
Printed circuit board with cavity
A printed circuit board multilayer construction comprising a layer stack composed of plurality of electrically insulating and/or conductive layers arranged one above another and a cavity in the interior of the layer stack, which extends laterally only in a partial region of the areal extent of the layer stack, is exposed to a pressure surrounding the printed circuit board multilayer construction through an opening provided in the layer stack and is sealed relative to ingress of liquid. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method suitable for producing a printed circuit board multilayer construction of this type. |
| US09232646B2 |
High speed differential wiring in glass ceramic MCMS
The embodiments of the present invention relate generally to the fabrication of integrated circuits, and more particularly to a structure and method for fabricating differential wiring patterns in multilayer glass-ceramic (MLC) modules. A structure and method of forming a MLC having layers with staggered, or offset, pairs of lines formed directly on one another are disclosed. In addition, a structure and method of forming a MLC having layers with staggered, or offset, pairs of lines that periodically reverse polarity are disclosed. |
| US09232643B2 |
Ceramic wiring board, multi-piece ceramic wiring board, and method for producing same
Provided are a ceramic wiring substrate; a multi-piece ceramic wiring substrate array for providing a plurality of the wiring substrates; and a method for reliably producing the wiring substrate array. The ceramic wiring substrate includes a substrate main body, which has a front surface, a back surface, side surfaces, a groove surface located on a side toward the front surface, and a fracture surface located on a side toward the back surface; and a notch which has a concave shape in plan view, and which is provided on at least one of the side surfaces so as to extend between the front surface and the back surface, wherein, in the side surface having the notch, the boundary between the groove surface and the fracture surface has curved portions on opposite sides of the notch, the curved portions being convex toward the front surface of the substrate main body in side view. |
| US09232642B2 |
Wiring substrate, method for manufacturing the wiring substrate, and semiconductor package
A wiring substrate includes an insulating layer including a reinforcement member and having a first surface and a second surface positioned on an opposite side of the first surface, an electrode pad exposed from the first surface, a layered body including first insulating layers and being formed on the second surface, the first insulating layers having a first insulating material as a main component, another layered body including second insulating layers and being formed on the layered body, the second insulating layers having a second insulating material as a main component, and another electrode pad exposed from a surface of the another layered body that is opposite to the layered body. The number of the first insulating layers is equal to that of the second insulating layers. The first insulating layers have a thermal expansion coefficient that is greater than that of the second insulating layers. |
| US09232641B2 |
Wiring board and method of manufacturing the same
A wiring board includes a core layer, a through-hole penetrating through the core layer in its thickness direction, a first wiring layer formed on a first surface of the core layer, a through-hole wiring formed in the through-hole and electrically connected to the first wiring layer, and a curved first chamfered portion formed in a boundary portion between an inner side surface of the through-hole and the first surface of the core layer. The first wiring layer includes a first metal layer formed outside the first chamfered portion on the first surface of the core layer and a second metal layer formed on the first chamfered portion and the first metal layer. |
| US09232640B2 |
Thermal isolation in printed circuit board assemblies
A printed circuit board assembly for reducing the impact of heat generated from circuitry within a handheld or non-handheld device is provided. The printed circuit board assembly may include a printed circuit board comprising a plurality of conductive layers and a plurality of dielectric layers where each dielectric layer is disposed between a pair of conductive layers. Each conductive layer may include a first portion and a second portion separated by a gap where the gaps in the alternating conductive layers are misaligned. The first portion of each conductive layer may be substantially thermally isolated from the second portion of each conductive layer. |
| US09232639B2 |
Non-uniform substrate stackup
Some embodiments described herein include apparatuses and methods of forming such apparatuses. One such embodiment may include a routing arrangement having pads to be coupled to a semiconductor die, with a first trace coupled to a first pad among the pads, and a second trace coupled to a second pad among the pads. The first and second traces may have different thicknesses. Other embodiments including additional apparatuses and methods are described. |
| US09232634B2 |
Flexible circuit board for mounting light emitting element, illumination apparatus, and vehicle lighting apparatus
A flexible circuit board 3a for mounting a light emitting element has base films 31a and 31b, a wiring pattern 32 formed on a surface of the base films 31a and 31b, and the cover films 33a and 33b that covers the base films 31a and 31b and the wiring pattern 32. At least one of the base film and the cover films 33a and 33b have a substrate 331 and 331a comprising a metal. The cover film 33a and 33b have such surface properties as to produce specular reflection or diffuse reflection of light or has substantially white reflecting films 36 and 333 on a surface of the cover film. |
| US09232632B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for detecting registration offsets
A method for detecting a registration offset is disclosed. The method includes transferring a first pattern to a metal layer on a first side of a printed circuit board (PCB) substrate. The first pattern has a reference scale. The method further includes transferring a second pattern to a metal layer on a second side opposite to the first side of the PCB substrate. The second pattern has a measurement scale. The second pattern is transferred by aligning an origin of the measurement scale with an origin of the reference scale in an apparatus such that at least a portion of the reference scale is overlapped with the measurement scale. The method includes etching the metal layers of the PCB substrate and measuring an offset in the patterns on the PCB substrate by using the reference scale and the measurement scale. |
| US09232631B2 |
Hyperfrequency interconnection device
A hyperfrequency interconnection device between two components is provided, each component comprising an upper face and a signal line arranged on the upper face, the planes containing the upper faces of the components being separated by a distance known as the height difference. The hyperfrequency interconnection device comprises a substrate comprising a lower face and an upper face defined by a first axis and a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, a signal line arranged on the lower face of the substrate, a projection of the signal line into the plane of the upper face forming the first axis, at least two contact pads capable of electrically connecting the signal line of the device to the signal line of the components. The upper face of the substrate is corrugated along the second axis, capable of conferring on the substrate flexibility along the first axis. |
| US09232624B2 |
Target for laser produced plasma extreme ultraviolet light source
Techniques for generating EUV light include directing a first pulse of radiation toward a target material droplet to form a modified droplet, the first pulse of radiation having an energy sufficient to alter a shape of the target material droplet; directing a second pulse of radiation toward the modified droplet to form an absorption material, the second pulse of radiation having an energy sufficient to change a property of the modified droplet, the property being related to absorption of radiation; and directing an amplified light beam toward the absorption material, the amplified light beam having an energy sufficient to convert at least a portion of the absorption material into extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light. |
| US09232623B2 |
Extreme ultraviolet light source
A target material is provided at a target location, the target material including a material that emits extreme ultraviolet light when converted to plasma, and the target material extending in a first extent along a first direction and in a second extent along a second direction; an amplified light beam is directed along a direction of propagation toward the target location; and the amplified light beam is focused in a focal plane, where the target location is outside of the focal plane and an interaction between the amplified light beam and the target material converts at least part of the target material to plasma that emits EUV light. |
| US09232621B2 |
Apparatus and method for energy beam position alignment
A light source device irradiates a material with a first beam, and directs a second beam toward a first position on the material, which is irradiated with the first beam. An alignment mechanism includes an optical unit to allow the first beam to pass therethrough, and to reflect the second beam and direct the second beam in a same direction as the first beam. The alignment mechanism also includes a mirror to reflect the second beam, a beam detecting unit, and a branching unit to receive the first beam which has passed the optical unit and the second beam which is reflected by the optical unit. The mirror adjusts an incident position of the second beam on the optical unit. The branching unit adjusts the first position of the first beam on the material and a second position of the second beam on the material. |
| US09232618B2 |
Up and down conversion systems for production of emitted light from various energy sources including radio frequency, microwave energy and magnetic induction sources for upconversion
Methods and systems for producing a change in a medium. A first method and system (1) place in a vicinity of the medium at least one upconverter including a gas for plasma ignition, with the upconverter being configured, upon exposure to initiation energy, to generate light for emission into the medium, and (2) apply the initiation energy from an energy source including the first wavelength λ1 to the medium, wherein the emitted light directly or indirectly produces the change in the medium. A second method and system (1) place in a vicinity of the medium an agent receptive to microwave radiation or radiofrequency radiation, and (2) apply as an initiation energy the microwave radiation or radiofrequency radiation by which the agent directly or indirectly generates emitted light in the infrared, visible, or ultraviolet range to produce at least one of physical and biological changes in the medium. |
| US09232617B2 |
Discharge lamp electronic ballast luminaire and vehicle with same
Discharge lamp electronic ballast includes DC-DC converter circuit for converting voltage of DC power supply to output DC power, inverter circuit for converting DC power into AC power to supply it to discharge lamp, output feedback control circuit for controlling DC-DC converter circuit, and inverter driving signal generator circuit for controlling inverter circuit. Ballast includes microcomputer having voltage detecting function for detecting voltage value of DC power supply, and ballast temperature detector circuit for detecting temperature of ballast. Microcomputer sets first time based on voltage value of DC power supply and detection result of ballast temperature detector circuit, and reduces power supplied to the discharge lamp if first time elapses from time point when lamp is started, thereby supplying lamp with power for stable operation. |
| US09232615B2 |
Simulcast mesh dimmable illumination source
An LED illumination device is configured to receive coded messages by at least one of radio signals in free space, electrically conducted signals by wire, and light wave propagated signals in free space, process the coded messages, and transmit the coded messages by two or more of radio signals in free space, electrically conducted signals by wire, and light wave propagated signals in free space. |
| US09232611B2 |
Modular constant current regulator
Constant current regulator (10) for supplying a series circuit (9) of a lighting installation with an output electrical power corresponding to a predetermined output power, comprising a plurality of modules (13) electrically connectable for simultaneous operation to jointly provide the output power, the modules being each configured for providing a module output power contributing to the output power of the regulator. Each module comprises its proper transformer (135) for providing galvanic insulation as required by local standards, and a microcontroller (231) for controlling operation of the module. The constant current regulator comprises a data communication network (17) configured to be connected to the microcontrollers (231) of the modules (13), wherein the microcontrollers (231) are operable to exchange data over the data communication network (17) so as to make the constant current regulator (10) modular, meaning that one or more of such modules (13) can be added to or removed from the constant current regulator. |
| US09232607B2 |
Gas discharge lamp ballast with reconfigurable filament voltage
An amount of filament voltage supplied by a reconfigurable ballast may be adjusted based on a lamp type with which the ballast is operating. The filament voltage may be reconfigured dynamically and/or may be reconfigured via a user-provided value. An electronic dimming ballast may include a control circuit configured to control generation of the AC filament voltage in accordance with a reconfigurable AC filament voltage value. Reconfiguring an electronic dimming ballast may include reconfiguring an AC filament voltage applied by the electronic dimming ballast to a filament of a lamp installed with the electronic dimming ballast. Reconfiguring the AC filament voltage may include computing a hot-to-cold cathode resistance ratio associated with the filament. Reconfiguring the AC filament voltage may include determining whether the computed hot-to-cold cathode resistance ratio is within a range specified for the electronic dimming ballast. |
| US09232606B2 |
Switch-mode power supply, control circuit and associated dimming method
A switch-mode power supply and associated control circuit for a light-emitting device are disclosed. The switch-mode power supply having a first switch which is turned ON or OFF by a control signal. The control circuit having an error amplifier, a minimum-off time control circuit and a logic circuit, wherein the error amplifier is configured to provide a compensation signal based on a dimming signal and a feedback signal. The minimum-off time control circuit is configured to provide a minimum-off time control signal to adjust a minimum-off time period of the first switch based on the compensation signal. The logic circuit is configured to provide the control signal based on the minimum-off time control signal. |
| US09232602B2 |
Color temperature adjustment for LED lamps using switches
A light-emitting diode (LED) lamp includes a number of different color LEDs that can be turned on and off in different combinations using an external switch operable by a user. A user or a controller can adjust the color temperature of light output by the lamp. The color temperature change may be a user preference and can compensate for decreased phosphor efficiency over time. |
| US09232597B2 |
Lighting device and lighting system with the same
A lighting device includes: first and second power feed terminals between which a light source of a light source device is configured to be electrically connected; a power supply circuit having output ends electrically connected respectively to the first and second power feed terminals and configured to output a DC power across the first and second power feed terminals; a control circuit configured to control the power supply circuit; and at least one identifying terminal for identifying a rated current of a light source. The control circuit is configured to identify a rated current of a light source connected between the first and second power feed terminals by detecting whether the identifying terminal is in floating state or not, and to control the power supply circuit so as to supply a current corresponding to the identified rated current through the first and second power feed terminals. |
| US09232591B2 |
Circuits and methods for driving light sources
A dimming controller can operate in a first mode or a second mode to control dimming of a light-emitting diode (LED) light source. The dimming controller can include a voltage control terminal and a current control terminal. The voltage control terminal provides a pulse signal when the dimming controller operates in the first mode to operate a control switch in either a first state or a second state. A first current flowing through the LED light source increases when the control switch is in the first state and decreases when the control switch is in the second state. The voltage control terminal provides a control signal to the control switch to cut off the first current when the dimming controller operates in the second mode. The current control terminal conducts a second current through the LED light source when the dimming controller operates in the second mode. |
| US09232590B2 |
Driving circuitry for LED lighting with reduced total harmonic distortion
Conditioning circuits are provided for driving two or more LED groups using a rectified AC input voltage. The conditioning circuits uses analog circuitry to gradually and selectively activate the LED groups based on an instantaneous value of the rectified input voltage. The circuit includes a first series interconnection of a first LED group, a first transistor, and a first resistor, and a second series interconnection of a second LED group, a second transistor, and a second resistor. In one example, the second series interconnection is connected between a drain terminal and a source terminal of the first transistor, while in another example, the second series interconnection is connected between an anode of the first LED group and a source terminal of the first transistor. The first and second LED groups are selectively activated by the rectified voltage applied across the first series interconnection. |
| US09232588B2 |
Fault tolerant LED backlight for an LCD display
Disclosed are LED backlight subassemblies and LCD displays making use thereof. The backlight subassembly includes at least one string of serially connected LEDs in which single LED failures do not lead to a partial or complete loss of image content. |
| US09232587B2 |
Low cost LED driver with integral dimming capability
A distributed system for driving strings of series-connected LEDs for backlighting, display and lighting applications includes multiple intelligent satellite LED driver ICs connected to a an interface IC via serial bus. The interface IC translates information obtained from a host microcontroller into instructions for the satellite LED driver ICs pertaining to such parameters as duty factor, current levels, phase delay and fault settings. Fault conditions in the LED driver ICs can be transmitted back to the interface IC. An analog current sense feedback system which also links the LED driver ICs determines the supply voltage for the LED strings. |
| US09232582B2 |
Driver circuits for solid state light bulb assemblies
A driver circuit of solid state light bulb assemblies including light emitting diodes comprises a first power converter stage converting an input voltage into an intermediate voltage; a second power converter stage converting the intermediate voltage into a drive voltage for the light source; and a controller. The controller comprises a first control unit generating a first control signal for the first power converter stage; a second control unit generating a second control signal for the second power converter stage; and a state control unit determining a target state of the light source; wherein the first and second control units are receiving information indicative of the target state; and wherein the first and second control units are generating the first and second control signals based on the information indicative of the target state. |
| US09232579B2 |
Driving circuit for light-emitting element with burst dimming control
A detection resistor is arranged on a path of an LED string. A controller generates a gate pulse signal having a duty ratio adjusted such that the voltage drop at the detection resistor matches a predetermined reference voltage. Furthermore, the controller receives a dimming control signal which indicates the duty ratio of the burst dimming operation, and generates a corresponding burst dimming pulse. According to the gate pulse signal, the first driver drives an output circuit configured to generate a driving voltage. A second driver switches a path of a driving current between connection and disconnection according to the burst dimming pulse. A duty ratio detection unit controls the frequency of the gate pulse signal according to the duty ratio indicated by the dimming control signal. |
| US09232574B2 |
Forward converter having a primary-side current sense circuit
A load control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to an electrical load (e.g., an LED light source) comprises an isolated forward converter comprising a transformer, a controller, and a current sense circuit operable to receive a sense voltage representative of a primary current conducting through to a primary winding of the transformer. The primary winding is coupled in series with a semiconductor switch, while a secondary winding is adapted to be operatively coupled to the load. The forward converter comprises a sense resistor coupled in series with the primary winding for producing the sense voltage that is representative of the primary current. The current sense circuit receives the sense voltage and averages the sense voltage when the semiconductor switch is conductive, so as to generate a load current control signal that is representative of a real component of a load current conducted through the load. |
| US09232568B2 |
Waterless detection method and a waterless detection device of a boiler iron and an iron applied with the device thereof
The present invention is provided with a waterless detection method and a waterless detection device of a boiler iron and an iron applied with the device thereof. The present invention is applied with a normal close thermostat of the constant temperature boiler and a control device, a signal line between the thermostat of the traditional boiler iron and the control device to send the off and on information of the thermostat to the control device. The control device can judge the presence of the water in the water tank according to the empiric value of the actual heating system, preventing the pump from damage due to empty pumped. Compared to the traditional iron with other hardware detection device, the present invention costs lower with simple manufactory. And It saves more space for other component of the iron as well. |
| US09232567B2 |
Mobile handoff through multi-network simulcasting
A method and apparatus supporting handoff using simulcasting of multimedia information via a gateway are disclosed. A gateway supporting both a personal area network and a broadband network may receive multimedia information transmitted to an access device by a wide area network. The gateway may send the received multimedia information to the associated access device, and may communicate with the wide area network. |
| US09232565B2 |
Multi-carrier base station receiver
Embodiments of the present invention may provide a receiver. The receiver may include an RF section and a quadrature mixture, coupled to the RF section, to downconvert a first group of wireless signals directly to baseband frequency quadrature signals and to downconvert a second group of wireless signals to intermediate frequency quadrature signals. The receiver may also include a pair of analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) to convert the downconverted quadrature signals to corresponding digital quadrature signals. Further, the receiver may include a digital section having two paths to perform signal processing on the digital baseband frequency quadrature signals and to downconvert the digital intermediate frequency signals to baseband cancelling a third order harmonic distortion therein. The receiver may be provided on a monolithically integrated circuit. |
| US09232564B2 |
Wireless transceivers with filter arrangement for WiFi and LTE coexistence
Embodiments provide WiFi and LTE tailored transceiver radio frequency (RF) filtering techniques and configurations to enable coexistence between WiFi and LTE transceivers operating in close proximity. In particular, embodiments provide filtering techniques to reject emissions from LTE into WiFi, and vice versa. The filtering techniques eliminate the need for additional isolation between LTE and WiFi antennas (approximately 50 dB), which is beyond what is achievable in practice. Embodiments can be tailored according to different use cases of the WiFi and LTE transceivers (e.g., fixed CPE, portable router, smart phone with tethering). |
| US09232563B2 |
Aggregation of bandwidth from multiple wireless devices
Technologies are generally described for an aggregation of bandwidth from multiple wireless devices. In some examples, a source device may communicate with a destination device at a first bandwidth. The source device may divide data into a first piece and a second piece. The source device may transmit the first piece to a first wireless device and the second piece to a second wireless device over a first network. The first wireless device and second wireless device may communicate with the destination device at a second bandwidth and a third bandwidth respectively. The first bandwidth may be less than an aggregation of the second bandwidth and the third bandwidth. The first wireless device may transmit the first piece over a second network, different from the first network, to the destination device. The second wireless device may transmit the second piece over a third network, different from the first network, to the destination device. |
| US09232562B2 |
Method and apparatus for concurrent communication with multiple wireless communication systems of different radio access technologies
A wireless device supporting concurrent communication with multiple wireless systems of different radio access technologies (RATs) are disclosed. In an exemplary design, an apparatus includes first and second receivers supporting concurrent signal reception from wireless systems of different RATs. The first receiver receives a first downlink signal from a first wireless system of a first RAT. The second receiver receives a second downlink signal from a second wireless system of a second RAT, which is different from the first RAT. The first and second receivers may operate concurrently. The second receiver may be broadband and/or may support carrier aggregation. The apparatus may further include first and second local oscillator (LO) generators to generate LO signals for the first and second receivers, respectively, based on different divider ratios in order to mitigate voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) pulling. |
| US09232561B2 |
Wireless communication device and wireless communication method
A wireless communication device has a plurality of wireless units each configured to cover a different wireless communication range and be capable of receiving data in the corresponding wireless communication range, a status information generator provided corresponding to the wireless unit utilized to receive data among the plurality of wireless units, in order to generate status information concerning the wireless communication range of the wireless unit utilized to receive the data, and a storage configured to store the status information in association with the data. |
| US09232560B2 |
Mobile wide area network IP translation configuration
A method, system and non-transitory computer storage readable medium comprise operating a Wide Area Network (WAN) device according to a first Internet protocol (IP) translation mode of operation, changing an initial connectivity status between the WAN device and a WAN and transitioning from the first IP translation mode of operation to a second IP translation mode of operation that is different from the first IP translation mode of operation based on the change in the initial connectivity status. |
| US09232556B2 |
User equipment with improved tune-away performance during measurement
Operating a user equipment (UE) which comprises a first radio that is configured to operate according to a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second RAT. The UE may receive a request to perform a tune away operation for the second RAT while performing measurement for the first RAT (e.g., intra-cell measurement, inter-cell measurement, and/or inter-RAT measurement). Instead of waiting to complete the measurement of the first RAT, the UE may tune the radio to a frequency of the second RAT to perform the tune away operation (e.g., page decoding) for the second RAT. After completing the tune away operation of the second RAT, the UE may tune the radio back to a frequency corresponding to the first RAT in order to continue the measurement operations of the first RAT. |
| US09232554B2 |
Method and system for enabling multi-channel direct link connection in a communication network, related network and computer program product
A wireless communication network includes an access point and a plurality of stations. The access point sends towards the stations periodic information arranged in time frames or beacon intervals. The stations in the network are configured to in a first mode through the access point, and in a second mode directly with each other. The time frames are partitioned into a first time interval wherein the stations communicate in the first mode over a first channel; a second time interval wherein the stations communicate in the second mode over a second channel, and a third time interval wherein the stations communicate in either of the first or the second mode. |
| US09232552B2 |
Direct digital signal processor control of multi-channel scan for re-establishing connections in a wirelessly networked device
A method and system for establishing a wireless connection between a portable computer system and a wireless network, particularly when the portable computer system goes out of coverage and a wireless connection needs to be re-established. The portable computer system has a main processor and a digital signal processor (DSP). The main processor is placed in a low power mode, conserving battery power. When the portable computer system goes out of coverage, broadcast channels used by the wireless network are scanned by the DSP instead of the main processor to identify channels that have sufficient signal strength for the wireless connection. Thus, the main processor remains in the low power mode. When the DSP identifies acceptable channels, it wakes up the main processor and identifies the channels having sufficient signal strength. The main processor then establishes a wireless connection using one of the channels identified by the DSP. |
| US09232551B2 |
System and method for transmitting data packets to a plurality of mobile terminations through a single IP connection
The invention refers to a radio network entity for transmitting data packets from an IP gateway in a telecommunications network to a user terminal via a plurality of mobile terminations through a single IP connection. The radio network entity comprises: a module for establishing IP connections between the IP gateway and mobile terminations, for activating first and second IP connections and first and second radio connections in response to respective requests from first and second mobile terminations; a packet splitter that applies a splitting algorithm to determine which radio connection is to be used to transmit which data packets, the packet splitter being in communication with a packet combiner in the user terminal; wherein the packet splitter splits the data packets coming only from the first IP connection selected by the user terminal as the only IP connection through which the data packets are received, thereby transmitting data packets over said first and second radio connections for combining at the packet combiner. |
| US09232550B2 |
Method and apparatus for facilitating device-to-device communication
A method is provided for facilitating device-to-device communication. The method may include causing a message to be sent to a first device to trigger the first device to transmit a reference signal. The method may further include causing a request for a channel quality indication to be sent to a second device. The request may indicate that the channel quality indication is to be based on measurement of the reference signal. The method may additionally include receiving the channel quality indication in response to the request. The channel quality indication being indicative of a link quality between the first device and the second device. The method made also include determining based on the received channel quality indication whether to cause establishment of a device-to-device link between the first device. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also provided. |
| US09232549B2 |
Technique for AT command handling in relation to an EPS packet domain
A method and system of facilitating the use of AT commands specified for a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) packet domain in relation to an Evolved Packet System (EPS) packet domain is provided. An embodiment of the present invention comprises defining, in response to an AT command directed to the definition of a secondary Packet Data Protocol (PDP) context, an EPS Service Data Flow (SDF) on the basis of the secondary PDP context. |
| US09232548B2 |
Fast initial link setup discovery frames
A method for use in a wireless station includes receiving a fast initial link setup discovery (FD) frame from an access point (AP) between instances of a full beacon frame and determining whether to associate with the AP based on the received FD frame. The FD frame includes FD frame contents and a FD frame control field. The FD frame control field includes a service set identifier (SSID) length field, corresponding to a length of a variable length SSID field in the FD frame contents; and any one or more of: a capability presence indicator, an access network options presence indicator, a security presence indicator, an AP configuration change count presence indicator, or an AP next target beacon transmission time presence indicator. Each of the presence indicators is used to indicate whether a corresponding field is present in the FD frame contents. |
| US09232544B2 |
Connection states for a user entity in a serving gateway of an evolved packet core system
A serving gateway node (SGW) and a method therefore is being provided being adapted for operating in a network in which a control-plane tunnel between a mobility manage-men! entity (MME) and a serving gateway node (SGW), a control plane tunnel between the serving gateway node (SGW) and a packet gateway node (PGW), and one or more user plane tunnels between the serving gateway node (SGW) and the packet gateway node (PGW), may be set up, the serving gateway (SGW) comprising an application layer control mechanism (APL LR CTRL), interface means, (!F) and a data base (DB). The serving gateway (SGW) is adapted for entering a state of ECM-IDLE (108) and ECM-CONNECTED (110) for a user entity (UE) in question. The serving gateway upon reception of a Modify Bearer Request message (107) may effectuate a setting up one or more user plane tunnels between the serving gateway (SGW) and a base station (eNodeB). The serving gateway (SGW) is being adapted to, upon receiving a Create Session Request message (102) from a packet gateway node, set up a timer (105), which on time-out (114) effectuates the serving gateway to put the user entity in ECM-IDLE (108) even if no Modify Bearer Request (107) is received. |
| US09232538B2 |
Method and apparatus for transceiving data in a radio access system which supports a multi-radio access technology
The present description relates to a method in which a multi-radio access technology (RAT) terminal transceives data to/from a first base station that supports a first RAT and to/from a second base station that supports a second RAT, in a radio access system which supports multi-radio access technologies (RATs). The multi-RAT terminal transmits, to the first base station, a multi-RAT capability negotiation request message containing control information indicating the second base station which is preferred for communication, thereby simplifying a scanning process for the second base station and thus reducing the power consumption of the multi-RAT terminal. |
| US09232535B2 |
Wireless communication system, base station apparatus, mobile station apparatus, wireless communication method and integrated circuit
It is possible to perform effective communication based on an A-SRS transmitted from a mobile station apparatus. A base station apparatus: notifies the mobile station apparatus of control information for setting, to the mobile station apparatus, whether to transmit a first sounding reference signal assigned in a physical uplink shared channel resource or to transmit a second sounding reference signal assigned in a resource different from the physical uplink shared channel resource; and notifies the mobile station apparatus of an uplink grant including an indication of transmission of a sounding reference signal. When receiving the indication of transmission of the sounding reference signal included in the uplink grant, the mobile station apparatus transmits the first sounding reference signal to the base station apparatus when the transmission of the first sounding reference signal is set by transmission control information, and transmits the second sounding reference signal to the base station apparatus when the transmission of the second sounding reference signal is set by the transmission control information. |
| US09232533B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving scheduling assignments in a communication system
A method and apparatus are provided for receiving a Scheduling Assignment (SA) by a User Equipment (UE) in a communication system in which a base station transmits the SA including at least one Information Element (IE). The method includes receiving the SA; identifying if a first IE included in the received SA is set with a first predetermined value and at least one bit in a second IE included in the received SA is set with a second predetermined value; and performing an action corresponding to a semi-persistent scheduling, if the first IE included in the received SA is set with the first predetermined value and the at least one bit in the second IE included in the received SA is set with the second predetermined value. |
| US09232525B2 |
Selection of a radio access technology resource based on radio access technology resource historical information
The disclosed subject matter provides for selecting a radio access technology resource based on historical data related to the radio access technology resource. Location information can be employed to determine a radio access technology resource. Historical information related to the radio access technology resource can then be employed to determine the suitability of the radio access technology resource. A set of radio access technology resources can be ordered or ranked to allow selection of a suitable radio access technology resource from the set. Incorporation of historical information can provide for additional metrics in the selection of a radio access technology resource over simple contemporaneous radio access technology resource information. In some embodiments timed fingerprint location (TFL) information can be employed to determine a location. |
| US09232524B2 |
Multiple access scheme for multi-channels of a network with a limited link budget
Methods, systems, and devices are described for managing wireless communications in a machine-to-machine (M2M) wireless Wide Area Network (WAN). An operating frequency band of the M2M wireless WAN is divided into at least a first frequency channel and a second frequency channel. The first and second frequency channels being used for communications on a reverse link. A first rise over thermal (RoT) threshold is set for the first frequency channel. A second RoT threshold is set for the second frequency channel. The second RoT threshold is lower than the first RoT threshold. |
| US09232520B2 |
Machine type communication support method and apparatus
Provided are a machine type communication (MTC) support method and apparatus capable of providing efficient MTC service. First, when a base station transmits a subframe to which an MTC-physical control format indicator channel (PCFICH) is allocated using an MTC-PCFICH code that is cyclic-shifted on the basis of a control format indicator (CFI) to MTC user equipment (UE), the MTC UE detects the MTC- PCFICH from the received subframe by performing blind decoding of a cyclic shift, and detects a region occupied by a legacy physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) on the basis of the detected MTC-PCFICH. Accordingly, it is possible to support efficient MTC service in a Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE)-based mobile communication system while maintaining compatibility with a legacy LTE station. |
| US09232517B2 |
Method for scheduling bundling in wireless access system and apparatus for same
Disclosed are a method for scheduling bundling in a wireless access system and an apparatus for same. In particular, the method includes the steps of: transmitting bundled downlink control information (DCI), including a plurality of pieces of downlink control information, to a terminal through a single physical downlink control channel (PDCCH); and transmitting downlink data to the terminal through a plurality of physical downlink shared channels (PDSCH) scheduled by the bundled DCI. |
| US09232515B2 |
Apparatus and method for supporting transmission of sounding reference signals from multiple antennas
Methods and apparatuses, through the use of a Downlink Control Indication (DCI) format or through higher layer signaling, for dynamic activation and deactivation of Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) transmissions from User Equipments (UEs) in an UL Component Carrier (CC) with configured SRS transmissions, the dynamic configuration of SRS transmissions parameters, the dynamic activation and configuration of SRS transmissions in an UL CC without previously configured SRS transmissions for a reference UE, and the configuration of SRS transmissions from multiple UE transmitter antennas. |
| US09232509B2 |
Apparatus and methods for improving demodulation reliability of an uplink high speed-dedicated physical control channel
The present disclosure presents a method and apparatus for improving demodulation reliability of an uplink (UL) high speed dedicated physical control channel (HS-DPCCH) at a base station. For example, the disclosure presents a method for receiving a secondary pilot channel from a user equipment (UE) on an uplink (UL) and demodulating the HS-DPCCH using at least the secondary pilot channel. As such, improved demodulation reliability of an uplink (UL) high speed dedicated physical control channel (HS-DPCCH) at a base station may be achieved. |
| US09232507B2 |
Radio base station apparatus and control information detection method
To efficiently detect feedback control information on downlink shared data channel signals transmitted with a plurality of base frequency blocks also in the case of performing radio communications with a system band comprised of a plurality of base frequency blocks, it is a feature to have detecting sections (208, 210) configured to detect a correlation value between an ACK/NACK signal received in uplink and each of ACK/NACK candidate replicas associated with ACK and NACK in response to a downlink shared data channel signal of a particular base frequency block assigned to the mobile terminal apparatus among a plurality of base frequency blocks or of each of a plurality of base frequency blocks, and an A/N·DTX determining section (211) configured to determine feedback control information on the downlink shared data channel signal of the particular base frequency block or of each of the plurality of base frequency blocks, based on the detected correlation value and a DTX determination threshold value. |
| US09232501B2 |
Independent resource request method for initial NAS signalling
A method for Independent resource request for initial NAS signaling in a communication network comprising of transporting service request message of both the UE and RN via Base station to management entity of Evolved Packet Edge (EPE) within Evolved Packet Core (EPC), as a signaling message over uplink channel referred to as “Independent Resource Request” (IR Request) message. The service request response message from one of the management entity of EPE or management entities of UE and RN within EPC are transported as a signaling message to EPE via Base station over the downlink channel referred to as “Independent Admission Response” (IA Response). This manages bearer setup signaling as a single loop, by transportation of “IR Request” signaling message over uplink and receiving “IA Response” signaling message over downlink channels. |
| US09232500B2 |
Method and apparatus for interference-resistant wireless communications
In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus is disclosed that includes a resource module configured to allocate a first resource and a second resource that are at least partially synchronized in at least one of a time domain and a frequency domain in such a way that the first resource and the second resource share at least one of an overlapping frequency band and a same time slot. The apparatus also includes a transceiver configured to transmit a first signal on the first resource and receive a second signal on the second resource, wherein at least one of the first signal and the second signal is at least partially orthogonalized with respect to a third signal that is transmitted on one of the first resource and the second resource from a neighbor network device. |
| US09232498B2 |
Techniques for traffic delivery to a group of devices
Techniques for managing traffic delivery to a group of devices are described. In some embodiments, a method for communicating in a wireless network may comprise receiving, at a base station, information intended for a group of devices identified by a device group identifier (DGID), mapping, at the base station, the DGID to a common identifier known by each device in the group of devices, and multicasting the information from the base station to the group of devices over one or more channels of the wireless network using the common identifier. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09232493B2 |
Frequency offset compensation for WiFi ranging
Methods, systems, and apparatus are disclosed for determining accurate ranging measurements between communication devices. Various embodiments are described for recording timestamps associated with when transmissions are sent and received between the communication devices. The communication devices are configured to determine a difference in their clock frequencies and to communicate this difference with one another. Furthermore, each of the communication devices is configured to compensate for these differences before or after the timestamps are exchanged and to send a compensation indicator of whether the compensation has been performed. If the compensation has not been performed, either of the communication devices can compensate for the clock frequency differences after receiving the timestamps based on the compensation indicator. By using compensated clock frequencies based on a single clock reference, highly accurate ranging measurements are obtained using round trip propagation time calculations. |
| US09232489B2 |
Receiver design for geo-location and/or phase coherent processing
A receiver system using commercially available super high-speed data converters that are able to directly digitize at multiple GHz sampling rates with sufficient accuracy to fit many radio applications. Unlike conventional receivers, no down converters or mixing stages are required. Instead it uses a bank of RF filters from which the desired RF filter, based on the frequency band of interest, is switched in. The frequency spectrum scan rate is very fast as the settling time for the simple RF front-end is small and the speed of RF switching is high. The filtered output is digitized at a multiple GHz sampling rate and all signal processing is done by FPGA or a combination of FPGA and/or a general-purpose processor. |
| US09232487B2 |
Synchronization of transmission intervals in Wi-Fi
An access point generates a data packet such that the data packet has a same packet length as a data packet from at least one other access point. The access point reserves a channel for a time interval, and initiates transmission of the data packet over the channel at a same time as transmission of the data packet from the at least one other access point. As a result, the access point synchronizes its transmission interval with a transmission interval of the at least one other access point which reduces inter-access point interference. |
| US09232483B2 |
Communication using control information that includes information specifying the access scheme and TPC (transmit power control) control data
TPC is appropriately operated in response to access method switching timing, an error is prevented from occurring in communication, and influence given to another cell due to transmission of unnecessary power is reduced.A base station apparatus which performs wireless communication with a mobile station apparatus while switching a plurality of kinds of communication method, transmits control information for performing transmit power control of the mobile station apparatus to the mobile station apparatus. The mobile station apparatus receives the control information for performing the transmit power control from the base station apparatus and determines a transmitted power according to the control information when switching the communication method. |
| US09232482B2 |
Systems, methods and apparatus for managing multiple radio access bearer communications
Systems, devices, and methods for managing multiple radio access bearer communications are provided. In one aspect, a device configured to communicate a voice and data communication via a wireless communication link is provided. The device includes a receiver configured to receive information selection criteria associated with a power limited condition. The device further includes a processor configured to detect the power limited condition. The processor is further configured to select information for transmission on a data channel, independent of the received information selection criteria. |
| US09232479B2 |
Power savings and interference reduction for multimode devices
Power savings and interference reduction for multimode devices (e.g., base stations and relay nodes) is disclosed. In some embodiments, power savings and interference reduction for multimode devices includes selecting a power state of the multimode device selected from a plurality of power states, in which the multimode device is in a first power state (e.g., an active or serving power state), and in which the selected power state is a second power state (e.g., a reduced power state), and transitioning the multimode device from the first power state to the second power state. |
| US09232478B2 |
Frequency scan method for determining the system center frequency for LTE TDD
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided in which a set of time intervals is obtained from a received radio frequency signal. A power profile is determined for a frequency spectrum segment in each time interval. A first list is used to identify frequency spectrum segments that exhibit a power or energy profile over a range of frequencies associated with a downlink channel bandwidth, and a second list is used to identify frequency spectrum segments that have a total or average energy greater than a threshold energy relative to a noise floor. An absolute radio frequency channel number (ARFCN) of a wireless communication system is determined based on the time intervals identified in the first and second lists. |
| US09232472B2 |
Multiple MAC addresses in a device
Multiple virtual MAC addresses may be added to WGA devices that may have different traffic streams to another device that requires different services, thus creating distinct MAC and device level implications. Beamforming training can be done at the device level for all virtual MAC addresses. Wakeup, doze, and ATIM power save can be done at the device level depending on the frames received. Authentication, deauthentication, association, and deassociation can be done variously at both levels. Further MSDUs can be aggregated for the multiple MAC addresses. |
| US09232471B2 |
Method and apparatus for connecting portable terminal to WLAN
A method and an apparatus for connecting a portable terminal to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) are provided. The method includes when a WLAN connection event occurs, performing a WLAN connection procedure by keeping a WLAN module in an awake state, and when the WLAN connection is complete, operating the WLAN module according to a Power Save Mechanism (PSM). |
| US09232470B2 |
Power supply circuit for mobile telecommunications devices
A power supply circuit for the modem of a mobile telecommunications device comprises a battery, a modem status detection circuit for detecting whether the modem is in communication with a base station or is searching for a base station, a current or voltage booster, and a switching circuit controlled by the detection circuit for switching the current or voltage booster into and out of operation such that the booster provides additional current to the modem when it is searching for a base station. |
| US09232469B2 |
Early ending of frame reception
An additional cyclic redundancy check (CRC) is inserted in IEEE 802.11 beacon or data frames prior to the end of the frame, at a location following information sufficient for the receiving station to determine whether the frame is from an overlapping basic service set or intended for a different station and to extract other necessary or useful information such as a time of the next full beacon. Upon detecting the CRC, the receiving STA can terminate reception of the frame early to conserve power, and then enter a low power operational mode to further conserve power. |
| US09232468B2 |
Delivering a plurality of simultaneous sessions to a client via a radio access network
A method (300) of a network node for delivering a plurality of simultaneous sessions to a client via a Radio Access Network (RAN) is provided. The method comprises identifying (301) a streaming session, reshaping (302) the streaming session into a sequence of bursts and silent periods, identifying (303) at least one non-time-critical session, reshaping (304) the at least one non-time-critical session into respective sequences of bursts and silent periods, and transmitting (305) the sequences of bursts and silent periods to the RAN. The reshaping (304) of the non-time-critical sessions is performed such that bursts, or silent periods, or both, of the at least one non-time-critical session are aligned with bursts, silent periods, or both, respectively, of the streaming session. By timely aligning the respective bursts and silent periods with each other, the duration of common silent periods may be increased, thereby utilizing air interface resources more efficiently. In addition, a method of a client for receiving a plurality of simultaneous sessions via a RAN is provided. |
| US09232466B2 |
Communications apparatus and method for reducing power consumption of a communications apparatus in an AP mode
A communications apparatus having an RF signal processing device, a baseband signal processing device and an access control module is provided. The RF signal processing device transmits and receives an RF signal and processes the RF signal in accordance with a predetermined protocol to generate a first signal. The baseband signal processing device is coupled to the RF signal processing device and processes the first signal. The access control module controls operations of the communications apparatus in at least a station mode and an AP mode. The access control module issues a first indication signal and a second indication signal under the AP mode so that the RF signal processing device and the baseband signal processing device are switched between a first power level and a second power level in the AP mode. |
| US09232465B2 |
Method and device for selecting or excluding an access point for use in wirelessly connecting to a network
A method is performed in a mobile device for selecting or excluding an access point for use in wirelessly connecting to a network. The method includes collecting historical connection data for a first access point, wherein the historical connection data identifies a plurality of previous wireless connections to the network using the first access point and identifies a corresponding duration of each previous wireless connection. The method further includes: detecting that the first access point is available for a current wireless connection to the network; calculating an expected connection duration for the first access point using the historical connection data; and determining whether to select or exclude the first access point as a candidate for the current wireless connection based on the expected connection duration calculated for the first access point. |
| US09232464B2 |
Mobile terminal apparatus for automatically generating/changing wireless local area network (WLAN) access information and method for controlling the same
A method and apparatus for automatically generating/changing Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) access information are provided. The apparatus includes an access information management database for storing pre-registered WLAN access information of a plurality of WLAN Access Points (APs). The apparatus also includes an access information collector for collecting information for WLAN APs being accessible at a current position of the apparatus, and an access information analyzer for analyzing the collected information, and creating a list of the accessible WLAN APs. The apparatus further includes a comparator for comparing the list with the WLAN access information to determine if the WLAN APs match. The apparatus additionally includes an access information automatic changer for automatically changing current WLAN access information according to matched APs. The apparatus includes an access information generator for automatically generating new WLAN access information when no WLAN access information is matched with the APs. |
| US09232463B2 |
Apparatus, and associated method, for facilitating communications by a mobile node in a multiple network radio communication system having interworking capability
Apparatus, and an associated method, by which to permit selection by a user of a mobile node of with which cellular communication system network that the mobile node shall communicate by way of an interworking wireless local area network. User selection is provided even when the interworking wireless local area network is directly connected to the home network of the mobile node. A determiner determines whether the interworking wireless local area network is directly connected to the home network. And, responsive to the determinations, an identifier identifies the cellular communication system network associated with the interworking wireless local area network. |
| US09232459B2 |
Method and apparatus of supporting wireless femtocell communications
A method and apparatus of routing a call in a femtocell network are disclosed. In one example call routing method, a call is originated from the mobile station via a femtocell access point and the call is transmitted to a femtocell gateway, a mobile switching center and a carrier gateway server and onto an enterprise gateway server to obtain policy information. A routing policy is determined based on the obtained policy information and the call is routed to its destination based on the routing policy. The call may be routed via local media from a femtocell access point directly to the enterprise gateway server. The call routing procedures may implement the Iuh protocol and/or the session initiation protocol (SIP) for call signaling in the femtocell network. Call routing may be performed in a wireless cellular communications network or an enterprise network environment. |
| US09232456B2 |
Systems and methods for packet transmission with compressed address
System and method embodiments are provided for transmitting a packet to a wireless device using a partial identifier. The embodiments enable communication using partial addresses with reduced risk of collision between two devices that share the same partial identifier. In an embodiment, a method includes determining at the first wireless station a scrambled identifier for a second wireless station according to a synchronized time and a partial identifier corresponding to one of the first wireless station and the second wireless station, wherein the synchronized time is synchronized with a time in the second wireless station, and wherein the partial identifier comprises a portion of a device identifier for at least one of the first wireless station and the second wireless station, and transmitting a packet to the second wireless station, wherein the packet comprises a payload and a header, and wherein the header comprises the scrambled identifier. |
| US09232451B2 |
Untethered access point mesh system and method
A technique for implementing an untethered access point (UAP) mesh involves enabling AP-local switching at one or more UAPs of the mesh. A system constructed according to the technique may include a wireless switch; an access point (AP) wire-coupled to the wireless switch; and a UAP mesh, wirelessly coupled to the AP, including a UAP with an AP-local switching engine embodied in a computer-readable medium. Another system constructed according to the technique may include an untethered access point (UAP), including: a radio; a backhaul service set identifier (SSID) stored in a computer-readable medium; an anchor access point (AAP) selection engine embodied in a computer-readable medium. In operation, the AAP selection engine may use the radio to attempt to associate with the AAP if a beaconed backhaul SSID matches the stored backhaul SSID. A method according to the technique may include beaconing with a backhaul SSID; acting in concert with an upstream switch as an authenticator for a downstream station that responds to the beacon; providing limited local switching functionality for the downstream station. |
| US09232448B2 |
Methods and apparatus for neighbor discovery of base stations in a communication system
An automated neighbor discovery by a base station with the assistance of an access terminal are disclosed. An exemplary method includes receiving a first message from an access terminal based on detecting an identification signal by the access terminal from the first base station in a communication system. Determination whether the first base station is a known base station is then made. If the first base station is not known, a second message is transmitted to the access terminal requesting a network identification of the first base station. A third message from the access terminal is received in response to the second message including the requested network identification. A request for identification data is sent by the second base station to the first base station via a network link based on the network identification. Corresponding apparatus and other exemplary methods are also disclosed. |
| US09232444B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing handover between core network entities in a packet-switched network
A method and apparatus for performing a L3 handover between CNs in a packet-switched network are provided. When a UE moves from an old RAN to a new RAN, the UE sends a measurement report message including cell information to the old RAN. The old or new RAN determines whether to perform a L3 handover. If the L3 handover is required, a tunnel is established between the new RAN and a new CN. The UE performs a handover from the old RAN to the new RAN, without establishing a tunnel between the new RAN and an old CN. Upon detection of the movement of the UE, the new RAN sends a L2 handover complete message to the old RAN. After moving to the new RAN, the UE acquires a new IP address, performs the L3 handover, and communicates with the new CN through the new RAN. |
| US09232440B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling system overload in a wireless communication system
The present invention relates to a method for controlling system overload in a wireless communication system. The method comprises: a first step in which a mobility management entity (MME) that has received a tracking region update request message from a first terminal transmits a location update request message to a home subscriber server (HSS); a second step in which, if the HSS has determined that a system overload has occurred, the HSS sets MME-backoff time for preventing the transmission of a request message to the HSS, and transmits a location update rejection message including said MME-backoff time to the MME; and a third step in which the MME drives a backoff timer corresponding to said MME-backoff time and rejects a TAU update request message from a terminal received prior to the completion of the driving of the backoff timer. |
| US09232439B2 |
Dynamic load balancing based on network performance
A server device may be configured to determine a first measure of throughput associated with a cellular wireless network, determine a second measure of throughput associated with a wireless local area network (“WLAN”), compare the first measure of throughput to the second measure of throughput; select, based on the comparing, a particular one of the cellular wireless network or the WLAN, and send an instruction to a user device that is in range of the cellular wireless network and the WLAN, the instruction instructing the user device to connect to the particular selected wireless network. |
| US09232436B2 |
Single MPDU frame signaling
Embodiments of systems and methods for providing single MPDU frame signaling are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US09232432B2 |
Method for generating a congestion flag based on measured system load
A radio base station generates a congestion status flag, based on measured resource usage in its cell, and based on performance of sessions in the cell. The flag may be a one bit, or a small number of bits, indicating whether the base station is congested. The flag can be sent to neighboring radio base stations, for use in determining whether to perform handovers to that radio base station. The flag generated in a radio base station, and the flags generated in neighboring radio base stations, can also be sent to user equipment in a cell. |
| US09232430B2 |
Congestion control within a radio access network
A method of controlling the volume of user-plane traffic on the Iub or Iub/Iur interface between a Radio Network Controller and a Node B of a UMTS Radio Access Network during periods of overload. The method comprises, for individual uplink or downlink connections established over the Iub or Iub/Iur interface, monitoring at the Radio Network Controller the late arrival of frames at the Radio Network Controller or at the Node B transmitted over the Iub or Iub/Iur interface, and based on the results of said monitoring, causing a reduction in the Iub or Iub/Iur load for a connection when appropriate. |
| US09232426B2 |
System and method for improving information carrying capacity by controlling re-transmissions
The re-transmission of transmission units (TUs) received in a communication device over a communication link is controlled to improve the information carrying capacity of the link. A received TU has an associated service characteristic indicative of a quality of service (QOS) for the TU. The service characteristic is associated with a select set of key performance indicators (KPIs), such as measures of packet error, packet delay, packet delay variation, and/or packet loss experienced by TUs on the communication link. Upon receipt of a TU, the performance of the communication link is evaluated with respect to each KPI in the select set to obtain a corresponding measurement value, and the measurement values are compared to corresponding threshold values. Upon determining that a determined performance value does not satisfy a corresponding threshold value for a KPI in the select set, re-transmission of the TU is requested. |
| US09232425B2 |
Methods and devices for increasing data throughput by scheduling of power measurements in a wireless communications system
Access terminals are adapted to receive and transmit data during one or more frames in a multiframe. Power measurements for a neighboring cell can be scheduled during one or more frames not intended for power measurements. In some examples, the one or more frames not intended for power measurements can include an Idle frame and/or a Packet Timing Advance Control Channel (PTCCH) frame in a 52-frame multiframe structure, as well as an Idle frame and/or a Slow Associated Control Channel (SACCH) frame in a 26-frame multiframe structure. Some access terminals may be adapted for facilitating multiple subscriptions, and may operate at least substantially simultaneously in a Connected mode subscription and an Idle mode subscription. In such instances, a neighboring cell for which power measurements are performed may be associated with the Connected mode subscription and/or the Idle mode subscription. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described. |
| US09232424B2 |
Management of storage of measurement data
A management of storage of measurement Data is provided. A method of managing storage of a set of measurement data comprises the steps of determining whether a value of at least one of said plurality of parameters has changed by more than a threshold amount from a value of the parameter in a previously stored set of measurement data and storing the set of measurement data, dependent upon the determination being affirmative. |
| US09232421B2 |
Differentiation between mobile and fixed mobile radio terminals
A method of operating a mobile radio communication terminal, in which execution of at least one step of the method is controlled according to a device parameter which is assigned to the mobile radio communication terminal and which has exactly one of two possible device parameter values which indicate whether the mobile radio communication terminal is permanently stationary or not permanently stationary. |
| US09232411B2 |
Systems and methods for routing home area network (HAN) messages
Embodiments of the disclosure can provide systems and methods for routing home area network (HAN) messages. In one embodiment, a system can be provided. The system can include at least one memory that stores computer-executable instructions; at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions. The computer-executable instructions can receive, by the at least one processor, an instruction for a HAN gateway; send the instruction to a transmission agent for routing to the HAN gateway; and transmit, by the transmission agent, the instruction to the HAN gateway. |
| US09232407B2 |
Function variable value transmitter, function receiver and system
A transmitter-side estimation of the complex channel influence between function variable value transmitters and function receivers is limited to the estimation of the magnitude of the channel influence, so that a pre-distortion of the symbols of the symbol sequences depends on an inverse of the magnitude of the channel influence, but is independent of a phase of the channel influence. Easing the channel estimation does not change the central tendency of the calculated function results transmitted over the multiple channel. Alternatively, on the side of the function receiver, a statistical quantity describing the multiple-access channel is determined. For this purpose, it is sufficient when the function variable value transmitters transmit constant power signals over the multiple-access channel in a channel estimation phase. Thus, the channel estimation effort is transferred to the function receiver and hence occurs less frequently, which again reduces the overall energy expenditure. |
| US09232405B2 |
Method and apparatus for inter-cell interference coordination in a wireless communication network
One aspect of the teachings herein involves the advantageous use of learned statistical information to improve inter-cell interference coordination (ICIC). The network uses historical signal quality measurements collected over time for wireless communication devices operating within its coverage areas to identify those geographical areas where devices generally experience significant levels of patterned interference. In an example case, the network develops a “map” of the geographical areas that are affected by the transmission patterns of neighboring nodes, and it applies the map to ICIC operations, wherein the serving nodes associated with the affected areas incorporate knowledge of the interfering transmission patterns into the ongoing scheduling of users operating in the affected areas. |
| US09232404B2 |
Method, apparatus, and system for data transmission
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, an apparatus, and a system for data transmission. The method for data transmission includes: determining that data to be transmitted is control plane signaling related to a user equipment that camps on a relay node; and transmitting the data through a first user data bearer established between the relay node and a donor base station, where the first user data bearer provides integrity protection for the data. According to the embodiments of the present invention, when the control plane signaling related to the user equipment that camps on the relay node is transmitted between the relay node and the donor base station, integrity protection is provided for the control plane signaling, and therefore attacks such as the denial of a service attack are prevented. |
| US09232403B2 |
Mobile device with common secure wireless message service serving multiple applications
A mobile end-user device contains a device messaging agent that securely communicates with a network message server over a wireless network. The network message server delivers messages to the device messaging agent on behalf of a plurality of network application servers. Each network application server supplies the network message server with application data and an indication of a device and an application on the device to which the application data should be delivered. The network message server securely passes the data and an application identifier to the device messaging agent on the appropriate mobile end-user device. The device messaging agent maps the application identifier to a software process corresponding to the application, and a secure interprocess communication service delivers the application data to that software process. |
| US09232395B2 |
System, server, communication device and computer readable medium therefor
Computer-readable instructions, when executed by a processor of a server, cause the server to receive a request from a terminal device, using a protocol configured to be used by a browser of the terminal device. The computer-readable instructions cause the server to generate, in response to receiving the request, specific data. The specific data comprises first location information for location of a web data configured to display a message screen for transmitting target data from the terminal device to a communication device using a short-range wireless communication, and the target data is stored in a memory of the server associated with authentication information configured to authenticate the communication device to a service providing server. The specific data configured to be in a format for transmission using the protocol. |
| US09232394B2 |
Authentication of phone caller identity
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method and technique for caller authentication is disclosed. The method includes: responsive to initiation of a telephone call by a caller from a first telephone unit to a second telephone unit, retrieving an identification object comprising identification information corresponding to the caller; encrypting the identification object using an encryption key stored on the first telephone unit; and transmitting, as part of the telephone call, the encrypted caller identification object to a telephone network destined for the second telephone unit. |
| US09232393B2 |
Facilitating proximity services
There is provided a method, comprising: establishing, by a first network node, a communication connection to at least one advertising device located in a geographically limited service area; establishing a communication connection to at least one advertisement-receiving device; generating at least one security key for encrypting and decrypting at least part of the data which is to be transmitted in D2D communication links, wherein each security key is valid for a predetermined validity period, and common to those at least one advertising device and at least one advertisement-receiving device within the service area which fulfill predetermined criteria; causing transmission of information indicating the generated at least one security key to those at least one advertising device which fulfill the predetermined criteria; and causing transmission of information indicating at least one of the generated at least one security key to those at least one advertisement-receiving device which fulfill the predetermined criteria. |
| US09232388B2 |
Initiation of wireless service
Disclosed are various embodiments for implementing wireless service for a wireless device. In a representative embodiment, a service initiation system is executed in a computing device that communicates with a service provider system over a network to activate a wireless service associated with a newly purchased wireless device. The service initiation system also generates a network page to send to a client over the network, where the network page has a component that initiates a porting of a contact designation associated with a prior wireless device to the newly purchased wireless device separate from the activation of the wireless service for the newly purchased wireless device. |
| US09232384B2 |
Method, apparatus, and computer program product for adaptive device discovery in wireless networks
Method, apparatus, and computer program product example embodiments enable wireless communication devices to reduce connection latency in high device population environments. In example embodiments, a method is disclosed for creating, at an apparatus, operating parameters for a wireless data channel connection and descriptive information regarding a time interval available to the apparatus for transmission of advertising channel messages and a count of a number of previous transmissions of the advertising channel messages to reduce connection latency in high device population environments; transmitting, by the apparatus, one or more wireless advertising channel messages indicating presence of the data channel connection, the operating parameters associated with the data channel connection, and the descriptive information regarding the time interval available for transmission of advertising channel messages and the count of the number of previous transmissions of the advertising channel messages; and transmitting information on the data channel connection according to the operating parameters. |
| US09232382B2 |
Method and apparatus for automatically determining a communication range status of communicating radios
A method is disclosed for determining a connectivity status of radios in a coverage group. Each coverage group includes radios configured to transmit and receive range messages on a channel and a timeslot. Each radio in the coverage group is configured to generate a range message and to transmit the range message to each other radio in the coverage group. Each radio in the coverage group is also configured to receive, from each other radio in the coverage group, a range message generated by each other radio. Based on the range message received from each other radio, each radio is configured to determine bi-directional connectivity between the receiving radio and the radios that sent the D-ARTS messages. The determined bi-directional connectivity status is between each radio and each of at least two other radios in the coverage group. |
| US09232380B2 |
Emergency call mode preference in wireless communication networks
A system and method to determine a type of wireless network that is to be used for an emergency communication session that is initiated at a mobile device. A Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) header is modified to introduce an emergency call mode preference (ECMP) field into the header. When a mobile device registers a session with an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), the ECMP field is populated by the service provider with information that conveys the preferred network to use when an emergency communication session is initiated by a user of the mobile device. In the event of a subsequent request to start an emergency communication session using the mobile device, the mobile device utilizes the preferred network to establish communication. |
| US09232376B2 |
Concurrent voice and data service on a same digital radio channel
A method, a subscriber unit, and a system provide concurrent voice and data systems and methods that “steal bits” from voice frames for low-speed concurrent data. In this manner, concurrent voice and data is supported over protocols that require voice-only in current operation such as Project 25 (P25). The stealing of bits from voice is done in a manner that is transparent and not noticeable to users. The systems and methods enable replication of signaling on the downlink and wireline segments that is replaced on the uplink, encoding of interleaving blocks that extend across multiple Layer 2 voice logical data units (LDUs), flexibility in replacing voice data in LDUs, indication of the availability of the service and an interleaving schedule, notification of upcoming stealing events via signaling, and the like. |
| US09232375B1 |
Mobile voice self service system
A Mobile Voice Self Service (MVSS) mobile system that includes an MVSS mobile device, on which a VoiceXML browser is implemented directly. The VoiceXML browser may request a VoiceXML application from a VoiceXML application server and process it. A client system may include the VoiceXML application server that the VoiceXML application is requested from. Upon request, the VoiceXML application may deliver the requested VoiceXML application to the VoiceXML application browser. A vendor media resource system may provide advanced Media Resource Control Protocol (MRCP) services, such as Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) or Text-To-Speech (TTS), to the VoiceXML application that is being processed by the VoiceXML application browser. A call data manager may also be implemented on the MVSS mobile device and may provide call data that, in conjunction with data from the VoiceXML application server, may authorize access to advanced Media Resource Control Protocol (MRCP) services. |
| US09232373B1 |
Providing data messaging support by intercepting and processing received short message service (SMS) messages at a customer support service
A message receiving, intercepting and processing method and corresponding application and device may provide receiving a message at a message processing server, the message being intended for a phone number associated with a customer service provider, identifying a telephone number of the sender of the message, parsing at least one word from the message, retrieving user account information of the sender, and generating an automated response to the message that includes contextual information that is based on at least one of the user account information and the parsed at least one word from the message. |
| US09232366B1 |
Dual-watch collar-wearable communication device
Disclosed herein are embodiments of a dual-watch collar-wearable communication device. One embodiment takes the form of a system that includes left-side and right-side audio speakers, a microphone, left-side and right-side push-to-talk (PTT) buttons and a controller programmed to carry out a set of functions. The set of functions include routing audio received via a first channel to the left-side audio speaker, routing audio received via a second channel to the right-side audio speaker, routing audio received via the microphone via the first channel when the left-side PTT button is actuated, and routing audio received via the microphone via the second channel when the right-side PTT button is actuated. |
| US09232365B1 |
Push-to-talk capacity enhancement
Push-to-talk messages are sent via a wireless multicast channel to multiple push-to-talk groups of devices regardless of group membership. Thus, all of the devices using the multicast channel receive all of the push-to-talk messages. To separate messages bound for one push-to-talk group from those bound for another, a push-to-talk group specific orthogonal code is applied to each message. The devices in a specific group use the group specific orthogonal code to decode the received multicast messages. If a device decodes the multicast message with the correct group specific orthogonal code, then the message is decoded and the device can play the message. If a device decodes the multicast message with a different group specific code (i.e., because it is not a member of the group the message was intended for), the message is will not be properly decoded and thus will be unplayable or scrambled. |
| US09232360B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing multimedia broadcast and multicast service (MBMS) in wireless communication system
A method for receiving a multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS) by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising acquiring, by the UE, a predetermined system information block (SIB) from a base station (BS); and upon acquiring the predetermined SIB, transmitting an MBMS interest indication message by the UE to the BS. The predetermined SIB includes information related to MBMS service continuity. Whether the transmitting of the MBMS interest indication message is allowed is provided to the UE through the predetermined SIB. |
| US09232355B1 |
Directional feedback
This disclosure is directed to providing directional feedback to a user. For example, this disclosure describes techniques for determining at least one characteristic of a device in space. For example, a device may be configured to determine, using one or more sensors, one or more characteristics of the device in space. For example, the device may be configured to determine one or more of a direction, and/or geographical position of the device as pointed by a user in space. The device may compare one or more of the determined one or more characteristics of the device in space to a desired destination or path specified by the user, and provide the user with directional feedback if the determined one or more characteristics of the device in space are consistent with the desired destination or path. |
| US09232353B2 |
Approaches for device location and communication
An electronic device can utilize image capture technology to detect the presence and location of another device. Using this information, the electronic device can display, in a user interface, a graphical element representing a detected device, along with identity information and the location of the detected device relative to the electronic device. The location of each detected device relative to the electronic device can be tracked and thus the graphical element can be updated in the user interface. |
| US09232352B2 |
Backhaul link assisted indoor spectrum use enforcement solution for MBAN services
A medical system includes one or more MBAN devices which acquire and communicate patient data. One or more medical body area network (MBAN) systems include the one or more MBAN devices communicating the patient data with a hub device via short-range wireless communication. The communication of the patient data via the short-range wireless communication being within a predefined spectrum. The hub device receives patient data communicated from the one or more MBAN devices, communicates with a central monitoring station via a longer range communication and one or more access points (AP), and determines the location of the MBAN system in reference to a healthcare facility. The one or more MBAN devices are inhibited from transmitting within the predefined spectrum when the MBAN hub device is located outside the healthcare facility. |
| US09232351B1 |
Location management utilizing initial position for mobile networks
The present invention provides a method for updating a mobile terminal (MT) for a mobile communication network when the MT crosses a boundary of a first location-update (LA) area. The method comprises determining a second LA to be assigned to the MT for replacing the first LA. The second LA is characterized by a LA center and a LA size, both determined by optimizing them in a sense that a mean total location-management cost is minimized without restricting the LA center to be fixed at the initial position. The initial position is defined as the location where the MT performs a latest location update at the first LA before crossing the boundary. This invention also provides schemes of partitioning the second LA into sub-paging areas for use in paging the MT when a call arrives at the network, so as to minimize the paging cost while satisfying delay requirements. |
| US09232339B2 |
Mobile push notification
Systems and methods are described herein that provide a mobile push notification system that sends notifications to various types of mobile devices using a single cloud based interface. One example embodiment includes a registration logic configured to receive device data from a mobile device. A record of the device data is stored in a database. A token generator creates a registration token that identifies the mobile device. The registration logic is facilitates communication between the mobile device and a vendor service when the registration token is received from the mobile device. |
| US09232334B2 |
Apparatus and method for processing multi-channel audio signal using space information
An apparatus for and a method of processing a multi-channel audio signal using space information. The apparatus includes: a main coding unit down mixing a multi-channel audio signal by applying space information to surround components included in the multi-channel audio signal, generating side information using the multi-channel audio signal or a stereo signal of a down-mixed result, coding the stereo signal and the side information, and transmitting the coded result as a coding signal; and a main decoding unit receiving the coding signal, decoding the stereo signal and the side information using the received coding signal, up mixing the decoded stereo signal using the decoded side information, and restoring the multi-channel audio signal. |
| US09232332B2 |
Microphone calibration
The disclosed apparatus, systems, and methods provide a calibration technique for calibrating a set of microphones. The disclosed calibration technique is configured to calibrate the microphones with respect to a reference microphone and can be used in actual operation rather than a testing environment. The disclosed calibration technique can estimate both the magnitude calibration factor for compensating magnitude sensitivity variations and the relative phase error for compensating phase delay variations. In addition, the disclosed calibration technique can be used even when multiple acoustic sources are present. The disclosed technique is particularly well suited to calibrating a set of microphones that are omnidirectional and sufficiently close to one another. |
| US09232330B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining an amplification factor of a hearing aid device
An amplification factor for a hearing aid device is generated by way of the following steps: forming a numerator, wherein the numerator includes a total with a first total component which is formed by means of multiplication of a strength of an approximately undisturbed signal with a first weighting and a second total component, which is formed by multiplication of a strength of a disturbed signal with a second weighting; forming a denominator, which includes the numerator as a first summand and a strength of an interference signal as a second summand. The amplification factor is finally determined by forming a quotient from the numerator divided by the denominator. An apparatus is configured to implement and carry out the novel method. |
| US09232328B2 |
Independent volume control in electro-acoustic stimulation systems
A system includes a sound processor included in an electro-acoustic stimulation (“EAS”) device and that directs a cochlear implant to apply electrical stimulation to a patient and a receiver to apply acoustic stimulation to the patient. The system further includes a volume control facility and a selection facility that selectively associates the volume control facility with the electrical stimulation in response to a first user input, selectively associates the volume control facility with the acoustic stimulation in response to a second user input, and selectively associates the volume control facility with both the electrical stimulation and the acoustic stimulation in response to a third user input. |
| US09232326B2 |
Method for determining a compression characteristic, method for determining a knee point and method for adjusting a hearing aid
The fitting of a hearing device and in particular of a hearing aid using frequency compression is to be simplified. A method for determining a knee point of a frequency compression characteristic for a hearing device is therefore proposed wherein a maximum audible frequency of a hearing device user is first determined and the knee point is then determined using a predefined rule in dependence on a maximum audible frequency. An end point of a compression characteristic can also be automatically determined. |
| US09232322B2 |
Hearing aid devices with reduced background and feedback noises
A personal sound processing apparatus has an earphone; a microphone; an electronic sound processor connected between an automatic gain controller (AGC) and a digital volume controller, an automated feedback tracker operatively connected to the microcontroller, and an audio signal amplifier to amplify audio signals which level is controlled by the digital volume controller. The microcontroller is configured to execute electronic instructions for recognizing at least one of a feedback noise condition and a background noise condition in the audio signals and to send a control signal to the digital volume controller to adjust volume level in response to presence of the at least one of the feedback noise condition and the background noise condition. |
| US09232321B2 |
Systems and methods for improving representation by an auditory prosthesis system of audio signals having intermediate sound levels
An exemplary system includes a detection facility configured to detect an input sound level of an audio signal presented to an auditory prosthesis patient; and an adaptive gain control (AGC) facility configured to 1) determine whether the detected input sound level is in a quiet region, an intermediate region, or a loud region, and 2) apply a gain to the audio signal in accordance with an AGC gain function that specifies the gain to be substantially equal to or less than a first gain threshold if the detected input sound level is in the quiet region, substantially equal to or less than a second gain threshold if the detected input sound level is in the loud region, and greater than the first and second gain thresholds if the detected input sound level is in the intermediate region. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed. |
| US09232318B2 |
Hearing device with a microphone
The present invention relates to a hearing device comprising a microphone (1) wherein the microphone (1) comprises a first opening (8), a second opening (9) and at least three compartments (2, 3, 4), a first membrane (6) being arranged between the first and the second compartment (2; 3) and a second membrane (7;) at least partly covering the third compartment (4), wherein the second and the third compartments (3, 4) are connected in communicative manner via a canal (11). |
| US09232313B2 |
Loudspeaker system
An aircraft seat integrating a loudspeaker system for creating an isolated sound stage designed to prevent egress from one aircraft seating area to another aircraft seating area includes a seat body having a horizontally oriented seat bottom and a seat back secured thereto. The seat back includes an upper end and a lower end. The lower end is positioned adjacent the seat bottom and the upper end includes a headrest structure for supporting the head and upper back of a passenger. A loudspeaker system includes a directional sound assembly and a nondirectional sound assembly. The directional sound assembly is mounted within the headrest structure for selective movement between a storage orientation in which the directional sound assembly is housed and hidden within a supporting housing mounted along the headrest structure and a use orientation in which the directional sound assembly is positioned for use. |
| US09232310B2 |
Methods, apparatuses and computer program products for facilitating directional audio capture with multiple microphones
An apparatus for providing directional audio capture may include a processor and memory storing executable computer program code that cause the apparatus to at least perform operations including assigning at least one beam direction, among a plurality of beam directions, in which to direct directionality of an output signal of one or more microphones. The computer program code may further cause the apparatus to divide microphone signals of the microphones into selected frequency subbands wherein an analysis performed. The computer program code may further cause the apparatus to select at least one set of microphones of the apparatus for selected frequency subbands. The computer program code may further cause the apparatus to optimize the assigned at least one beam direction by adjusting a beamformer parameter(s) based on the selected set of microphones and at least one of the selected frequency subbands. Corresponding methods and computer program products are also provided. |
| US09232307B2 |
Mobile microphone system and method
A method centrally controls communication at a single venue. Information, at least at the venue, is provided to attendees at the venue for transmitting electronic signals to the central communication point. At least one electronic communication transmission from an attendee who has access to the central communication point is enabled to have at least part of the transmission broadcast at the venue or allow open communication from the attendee to be broadcast at the venue. The personal mobile communications device of an attendee is used as a microphone over wireless telephone networks or local wireless communication networks. |
| US09232301B2 |
Coaxial speaker system having a compression chamber
Coaxial two-way or more loudspeaker system comprising a low range electro-dynamic transducer and a high range transducer with compression chamber, mounted in a coaxial and frontal with respect of the low range transducer. |
| US09232299B2 |
Three-dimensional air-adsorbing structure
A three-dimensional air-adsorbing structure. The structure has a three-dimensional, unitary, skeletal, porous scaffold, air-adsorbing material particles, and one or more hydrophobic binders that couple air-adsorbing material particles to each other to form agglomerates and couples particles and agglomerates to the scaffold. The structure has structure openings in the agglomerates and structure openings between agglomerates, such structure openings being open to the outside environment. The air-adsorbing material and the agglomerates are coupled to the scaffold by creating a water-based emulsion of air-adsorbing material, agglomerates of the material, and binder, and then impregnating the scaffold with this emulsion. The emulsion is dried at least in part at a temperature below the freezing point of the emulsion. |
| US09232293B1 |
Headphone authentication modules
Audio components such as headsets or earbuds can include a control module that stores an identifying code. When an audio component is connected to an electronic device, the device determines the code and can set certain parameters (e.g., audio playback volume) and/or provide at least some level of access to functionality and data. The control module also includes one or more buttons that enable a user to provide an input sequence that can act as a personal code. When the electronic device receives the personal code and verifies that the code is associated with the identifying code of the audio component, the electronic device can provide access to additional and/or all functionality on the device, and any or all data stored for the user or device. The sequence can correspond to a beat pattern or musical sequence entered using the buttons. |
| US09232291B2 |
Mobile terminal
Provided is a mobile terminal including a terminal body, a printed circuit board provided in the terminal body, and a microphone provided on the printed circuit board a prescribed distance from the terminal body. The printed circuit board may be provided between an opening in the terminal body and the microphone, and a channel may be provided that extends from the opening in the terminal body to the microphone. |
| US09232290B2 |
Cooler with integrated audio system
A combination cooler and audio system device is described which is configured to insulate foods and beverages while simultaneously emitting audio from at least one onboard speaker. The device is equipped with a Bluetooth radio configured to interface with an audio device such as a cell phone or Mp3 player over conventional Bluetooth wireless frequencies. The device also has a wireless remote control, storage drawer, and solar powered lighting. |
| US09232287B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing downlink frame synchronization in gigabit-capable passive optical network system
Disclosed in the present invention are a method and apparatus for processing downlink frame synchronization in a Gigabit-capable passive optical network (GPON) system, wherein the method comprises: carrying out forward error correction (FEC) encoding on data in a synchronization domain of a downlink frame of the GPON system, wherein the synchronization domain includes a physical synchronization (Psync) domain and an identifier (Ident) domain; filling the FEC encoded data into an FEC check domain provided in the downlink frame; and sending the downlink frame. By virtue of the present invention, the effect of improving the reliability of GPON downlink frame synchronization is achieved. |
| US09232286B2 |
IPTV receiver and method for controlling an application in the IPTV receiver
An IPTV and a method for controlling a video widget in the IPTV are disclosed. Herein, a method for providing a video widget application includes playing-back a video content within an IP packet, executing a video widget application, and selecting a specific area of the video content being played-back, and outputting an object guide including an object list included in the selected specific area. The method also includes selecting at least one object from the object guide, selecting a video filter to be applied to the at least one selected object from the video Widget application, and applying the selected video filter to the at least one selected object. |
| US09232285B2 |
Time shifting of advertisements in digital content delivery services
Advertisements included in a stored digital video program are identified and indexed. A user can time shift the advertisements to play out at a different time position in the program or not play the advertisement at all. A user may incur an advertisement debt for skipping or fast forwarding an advertisement. The advertisement debt can be offset by viewing ads, trading the debt with other users or by paying for the debt in another form. |
| US09232284B2 |
Method and system for sharing resources for setup boxes (STB) in a home network
A STB resource sharing (RS) group of a home network comprises a plurality of STBs. In the STB RS group, a STB communicates with one or more other STBs to mutually share available device resources comprising hardware and software resources, and/or capabilities. The STB functions as an elected master (EM) or a STB RS client in the STB RS group. As an EM, the STB receives advertisements from other STBs to determine available resources. The determined available resources are announced to other STBs in the STB RS group. The STB manages the use of the determined available resources according to resource sharing requests received from other STBs. As a STB RS client, the STB advertises inherent resources to an EM of the STB RS group. The STB receives announcements from the EM for available resources in the STB RS group. The STB shares its available resources, accordingly. |
| US09232277B2 |
Associating playback devices with playback queues
An example method includes receiving a first command by a device to group a first playback device with at least a second playback device for synchronous audio playback. In the example method, the group is associated with a first playback queue comprising a list of one or more items for playback by the group. The example method includes, for as long as the playback device is in the group, receiving a second command by the device to remove the first playback device from the group, wherein the first playback device is ungrouped and automatically associated with a second playback queue. In the example method, the second playback queue comprises a list of one or more items for playback by the playback device. |
| US09232274B2 |
Apparatus for adapting a presentation of media content to a requesting device
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a media processor having a controller to record stereoscopic media content supplied by a multimedia system, receive from a communication device a request for the recorded stereoscopic media content, determine rendering capabilities of the communication device, generate transcoded content by transcoding the recorded stereoscopic media content according to the rendering capabilities of the communication device, and transmit to the communication device the transcoded content. Other embodiments are disclosed and contemplated. |
| US09232273B2 |
System and method for providing program recommendations through multimedia searching based on established viewer preferences
A system and method is disclosed for processing viewer profiles and program metadata from a number of sources to provide viewing suggestions and recommendations to one or more viewers. |
| US09232270B2 |
Digital cable TV receiver, diagnostic method for the digital cable TV receiver, and data structure of DVI status report
A host includes a plurality of Digital Visual Interface (DVI) ports. A controller is configured to receive a single DVI diagnostic request from a source external to the host. The controller is further configured to collect DVI status information associated with each of the plurality of DVI ports in response to the single DVI diagnostic request, and initiate a signal to a display to display the DVI status information associated with the plurality of DVI ports. |
| US09232264B2 |
System and devices for distributing content in a hierarchical manner
The present invention concerns a transmitting device adapted to send content in bursts in a channel, the channel comprising a plurality of bursts, wherein a burst comprises at least one time slot. The transmitting device comprises first communicating means for receiving content from a first network, second communicating means for sending the content to a second network, the content being successively sent over at least one time slot of the bursts of the channel, time slot means for assigning a channel, and at least one unfilled time slot in the bursts of the channel to at least one second transmitting device located on the second network and signaling means for indicating the channel and the unfilled time slots to the at least one second transmitting device. |
| US09232263B2 |
Renderable content partitioning and portability
A storable duration of renderable content, based upon available memory for storage of renderable content associated with a mobile device, is determined in response to detecting a request for a portion of renderable content via an input device. The request for the portion of the renderable content based upon the storable duration is sent to a renderable content storage device, where the renderable content is identified by a content identifier. A content partition identifier and the portion of the renderable content having a duration less than or equal to the storable duration is received at the mobile device in response to the request. The content identifier, the content partition identifier, and the portion of the renderable content are stored within the available memory for storage of renderable content associated with the mobile device. |
| US09232262B2 |
Multi-path video and network channels
Methods and systems for multi-path video and network channels may comprise a communication device comprising a wideband path (WB) and a narrowband path (NB). A video channel and a network channel may be received in the WB when the device is operating in a first stage. A video channel and a network channel may be received in the WB and the network channel may also be received in the NB when the device is operating in a second stage. The network channel may be received in the NB when the device is operating in a third stage. The reception of the network channel from both the WB and NB may enable a continuous reception of the network channel in a transition between the first and third stages. The WB may be operable to receive a plurality of channels and the NB may be operable to receive a single channel. |
| US09232260B2 |
Extended connectivity multimedia apparatus, multimedia presentation system, and method of transporting credentials obtained via near-field communication (NFC)
Credential data are obtained by a remote control from a credential-bearing device through a near-field communication (NFC) data exchange. The credential data are transmitted by the remote control and are received by an extended connectivity device through its wireless communication interface. A transaction is conducted with a network-connected service through the wireless communication interface of the extended connectivity device using the received credential data. |
| US09232258B2 |
Apparatus,system, and method to extend connectivity in multimedia presentation device
An extended connectivity apparatus provides multimedia data from a multimedia source device to a multimedia presentation device. An electrical connector mechanically couples to a connector of the multimedia presentation device to provide a communication path to the multimedia presentation device. A wireless communication interface, which is selectively separable from the multimedia presentation device at the electrical connector, receives multimedia data over a wireless communication channel. A processor, which is also selectively separable from the multimedia presentation device at the electrical connector, encodes the received multimedia data into a format compatible with presentation capabilities of the multimedia presentation device and conveys the encoded multimedia data to the multimedia presentation device through the electrical connector. |
| US09232257B2 |
Method for navigation in a panoramic scene
The invention relates to a method for navigation in a panoramic video sequence displayed on a user terminal. The video sequence is divided into a plurality of non-overlapping video patches each corresponding to a zone of the video sequence. The video patches required to form a zone of the panoramic video sequence to be displayed on a screen of the user terminal, called the visibility zone, are determined according to navigation commands.According to the invention, the video patches are provided to the user terminal, for one part, via a first transmission network and, for another part, via a second transmission network distinct from said first transmission network. |
| US09232256B2 |
System and method for generating flash-based media stream
A system and method for playing Flash-based media are disclosed in the present invention. The method comprises that: when a Flash conversion server receives a Flash play request sent from a media server, it parsing the request, if the Flash play request is a dynamic Flash request or a real-time Flash request, the Flash conversion server converting the Flash file that is requested to be played into code stream data, and pushing the code stream data to the media server; and the media server playing the received code stream data to the terminal. With the technical solution in the present invention, the Flash animation can be converted and played to a terminal in real time. |
| US09232254B2 |
Client-server based interactive television guide with server recording
An interactive television program guide system is provided. An interactive television program guide provides users with an opportunity to select programs for recording on a remote media server. Programs may also be recorded on a local media server. The program guide provides users with VCR like control over programs that are played back from the media servers and over real-time cached copies of the programs. The program guide also provides users with an opportunity to designate gift recipients for whom programs may be recorded. |
| US09232250B2 |
System and method for distributing geographically restricted video data in an internet protocol television system
A system including but not limited to a computer program comprising instructions that when executed by a server computer, determines a plurality of geographic restriction zones and instructions to determine a plurality of different duration time delays for each of a plurality of geographic restriction zones. |
| US09232249B1 |
Video presentation using repeated video frames
A variety of media devices may stream and present content such as movies, music, audiobooks, and so forth. During streaming, data transfer rates may temporarily drop below that needed to maintain presentation. Described herein are techniques and systems for repeating presentation of previously received video frames. This repeated presentation allows for presentation of the content to continue uninterrupted, while providing time for the data transfer rate to regain a level capable of maintaining the presentation. |
| US09232246B2 |
Dynamic splitting of evolved multicast broadcast multimedia service (EMBMS)
A reporting server receives reports on unicast and/or broadcast multimedia content items being accessed by respective user equipment (UE) devices through a network. The reporting server determines, for each multimedia content item, a number of UE devices that are accessing the multimedia content item and whether it is being unicast or broadcast. The reporting server ranks the multimedia content items by the number of UE devices accessing each item. In several disclosed examples, a broadcast video provisioning system switches unicast transmissions to broadcast transmissions based on the ranked list, based on this ranking and possibly on the available unicast and broadcast bandwidth. |
| US09232244B2 |
Efficient frame forwarding in large scale real-time screen content sharing meetings
Techniques are provided to improve user experience at endpoint devices that are participating in a multipoint screen content sharing session. A server in a multipoint communication system receives video frames from a sending endpoint device in the communication session that involves one or more other endpoint devices that are to receive video frames from the sending endpoint device. The video frames include key reference frames that use either intra-frame prediction or inter-frame prediction based only on other key reference frames. The server stores the key reference frames. When a new receiving endpoint device joins the communication session, the server sends all the stored key reference frames to the new receiving endpoint device. All video frames received from the sending endpoint device are forwarded to existing ordinary receiving endpoint devices. Key reference frames and some, but not all, non-key reference video frames are forwarded to existing low-capacity receiving endpoint devices. |
| US09232241B2 |
Advertising metrics system and method
The present disclosure relates to a system and method for monitoring audio-video (AV) streams transported over a network. The system may include an AV probe deployed between an AV tuner and AV destination customer premise equipment. The AV probe may receive an incoming AV stream. The AV probe may generate a thumbnail stream by capturing thumbnails of the incoming AV stream. The AV probe may transmit, substantially in real-time, the thumbnail stream to a monitoring engine and the incoming AV stream to the AV destination customer premise equipment. |
| US09232240B2 |
Distributed content delivery network architecture
A master video server may deliver video streams to multiple sub-master video servers pursuant to the request of each sub-master video server. Each sub-master video server, in turn, may deliver video steams to multiple slave video servers pursuant to the request of each slave video server. Each sub-master video server may also deliver video streams to one or more other sub-master video servers pursuant to the request of each of the other sub-master video servers. |
| US09232237B2 |
Block-based parallel deblocking filter in video coding
Deblocking filtering is provided in which an 8×8 filtering block covering eight sample vertical and horizontal boundary segments is divided into filtering sub-blocks that can be independently processed. To process the vertical boundary segment, the filtering block is divided into top and bottom 8×4 filtering sub-blocks, each covering a respective top and bottom half of the vertical boundary segment. To process the horizontal boundary segment, the filtering block is divided into left and right 4×8 filtering sub-blocks, each covering a respective left and right half of the horizontal boundary segment. The computation of the deviation d for a boundary segment in a filtering sub-block is performed using only samples from rows or columns in the filtering sub-block. Consequently, the filter on/off decisions and the weak/strong filtering decisions of the deblocking filtering are performed using samples contained within individual filtering blocks, thus allowing full parallel processing of the filtering blocks. |
| US09232234B2 |
Video coding device, video coding method thereof, video decoding device, and video decoding method thereof
The present disclosure provides a video encoding apparatus and method and a video decoding apparatus and method. The video encoding apparatus, includes: a block mode determiner for determining a block mode of a current block; an NCI block intra encoder responsive if the block mode of the current block determined by the block mode determiner is an intra mode and neighboring blocks of the current block include an NCI block, for encoding the NCI block through an intra prediction of the NCI block; and a current block intra encoder responsive if the block mode of the current block determined by the block mode determiner is the intra mode and the neighboring blocks of the current block include the NCI block, for encoding the current block through an intra prediction of the current block. |
| US09232232B2 |
Interpolation of video compression frames
Coding techniques for a video image compression system involve improving an image quality of a sequence of two or more bi-directionally predicted intermediate frames, where each of the frames includes multiple pixels. One method involves determining a brightness value of at least one pixel of each bi-directionally predicted intermediate frame in the sequence as an equal average of brightness values of pixels in non-bidirectionally predicted frames bracketing the sequence of bi-directionally predicted intermediate frames. The brightness values of the pixels in at least one of the non-bidirectionally predicted frames is converted from a non-linear representation. |
| US09232222B2 |
Lossless color image compression adaptively using spatial prediction or inter-component prediction
An improved lossless image compression technique involves adaptively selecting between spatial prediction and inter-component prediction techniques depending on which allows better results for any given component of a digital image pixel. |
| US09232208B2 |
Systems and methods for detecting image properties
An image property detection apparatus for processing a pair of images representing different respective views of a scene to generate a color property difference amount, comprises a difference detector configured to derive a difference amount dependent upon an average of the differences in color properties between the pair of images at each of a set of possible image colors, each weighted by the image content of at least one of the pair of images at that respective image color. |
| US09232206B2 |
Multimedia framework to provide ultra-low power multimedia playback
A multimedia framework includes a monolithic multimedia component to include a specific interface provided by the multimedia framework, and a component control unit layer to serve as a point of control of an application, and to control a data flow through the monolithic multimedia component. When the application queries the component control unit layer for the specific interface, the specific interface passes a pointer thereof that signifies a role required by the application matching a role identified by the multimedia framework for the monolithic multimedia component to the application. A command from the application is transmitted to a tunnel of a multimedia stack interfaced with the monolithic multimedia component to ensure that the same monolithic multimedia component serves as a source component, one or more transform component(s) and/or a renderer. The application is unaware of the multi-tasking associated with the monolithic multimedia component. |
| US09232205B2 |
Information processing device, information processing method and program
An information processing device, method and a program adds an annotation to content and provides an application which utilizes the annotation. A learning module extracts an image feature amount of each frame of an image of learning content and extracts word frequency information regarding a frequency of appearance of each word in a description text, and learns an annotation models which is a multi-stream Hidden Markov Model (HMM) by using a multi-stream including the image feature amount and the text feature amount. A browsing controller extracts a scene which is a group of one or more temporally continuous frames from target content by using the annotation model and displays representative images of the scenes so as to be arranged in chronological order. |
| US09232200B2 |
External vehicle projection system
An external projection system for an automobile includes a mounting framework coupled to an exterior portion of an automobile. The projection system includes first and second projectors mounted to the mounting framework and each configured to project an image forwardly away from the automobile. A driver input member is mounted in the passenger area of the automobile and is electrically connected to the projectors, the input member configured to control movement and operation of the projectors. The system includes a processor in data communication with the input member and the projectors, the system including programming by which the processor selectively controls the projectors. The projectors may project indicia such as directional arrows so as to simulate driving toward and overtaking a distant arrow. The system may also include a video player for projecting movies in front of the automobile. |
| US09232196B2 |
Image capturing apparatus and endoscope system
An image-capturing apparatus includes: an image-capturing section including a first image-capturing system and a second image-capturing system having an image-capturing optical axis on a different position from that of the first image-capturing system and a different image-capturing characteristic from the first image-capturing system; a positional-relation specifying section specifying a first positional-relation between the first image-capturing system and a subject at a first timing at which the first image-capturing system has performed image-capturing; a judging section judging whether a second positional-relation between the second image-capturing system and the subject matches more the first positional-relation at a second timing, based on a displacement of the image-capturing apparatus with respect to the subject by the first image-capturing system, positions of image-capturing optical axes respectively of the first image-capturing system and the second image-capturing system, and the first positional-relation; and an image combining section combining the first image with the second image. |
| US09232194B2 |
Imaging apparatus, display method, and storage medium for presenting a candidate object information to a photographer
An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit, a position detection unit configured to detect position information of the imaging apparatus, an acquisition unit configured to acquire candidate object information indicating an object which a photographer may desire to capture an image thereof within a search range of position information based on the position information detected by the position detection unit, and a presenting unit configured to present the candidate object information to the photographer. |
| US09232191B2 |
Systems and methods for scalable distributed global infrastructure for real-time multimedia communication
A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to support the operation of a Virtual Media Room or Virtual Meeting Room (VMR), wherein each VMR can accept from a plurality of participants at different geographic locations a variety of video conferencing feeds of audio and video streams from video conference endpoints. A globally distributed infrastructure that supports operations of the VMR through a plurality of MCUs (Multipoint Control Unit) built from off-the-shelf components instead of custom hardware as media processing nodes, each configured to process the plurality of audio and video streams from the plurality of video conference endpoints in real time. Each single VMR can be implemented and supported across the infrastructure of globally distributed set of servers/media processing nodes co-located in Points of Presence (POPs) for Internet access, wherein such massively distributed architecture can support thousands of simultaneously active VMRs and yet is transparent to the users of the VMRs. |
| US09232190B1 |
Systems and methods for managing multimedia conference calls
Systems and methods are disclosed for managing a multimedia conference call. According to certain embodiments, a server establishes a multimedia conference call between a plurality of multimedia conference devices. The multimedia conference call includes the communication of multimedia conference contents via one or more of the plurality of multimedia conference devices. The server also records at least a portion of the multimedia conference contents; and detects one or more interrupting events. The interrupting events occur during the multimedia conference call. The server further provides substitute contents to the other multimedia conference devices of the plurality of multimedia conference devices. The substitute contents are generated based on a recorded portion of the multimedia conference call associated with a time to the interrupting events. |
| US09232187B2 |
Dynamic detection of pause and resume for video communications
Computing devices may implement dynamic detection of pause and resume for video communications. Video communication data may be capture at a participant device in a video communication. The video communication data may be evaluated to detect a pause or resume event for the transmission of the video communication data. Various types of video, audio, and other sensor analysis may be used to detect when a pause event or a resume event may be triggered. For triggered pause events, at least some of the video communication data may no longer be transmitted as part of the video communication. For triggered resume events, a pause state may cease and all of the video communication data may be transmitted. |
| US09232186B2 |
Video terminal device and method of detecting direction of gaze
A video terminal device includes a capture module, a detection module, a transmitting module, and a displaying module. The capture module takes images of the eyes of a user when the user is gazing at a display device to obtain three points of focus of the eyes, and confirms a circle bounding the three points of focus. The detection module detects whether an area of the applied circle is less than a first threshold. The transmitting module outputs coordinates of the center of the applied circle as an eyes direction when the area of the circle is less than the first threshold, enabling the participants in a conference to see the eyes direction of the presenter and the presenter to see the eyes directions of each of his audience. |
| US09232184B2 |
Transmission management system, transmission system, and transmission management system program
When terminals perform communication through a reservation, a management unit manages terminal identification information identifying each terminal and reservation identification information identifying the reservation. When a first terminal performs communication through a predetermined reservation, a receiving unit receives, from the first terminal, a request to acquire state of a second transmission terminal. A reservation extracting unit extracts the reservation identification information associated with terminal identification information identifying the second terminal from the management unit. A determining unit determines whether the reservation identified by the extracted reservation identification information matches the predetermined reservation. A transmitting unit transmits first state information indicating first state of the second terminal to the first terminal when the determining unit determines that the reservation matches the predetermined reservation, but transmits second state information indicating second state of the second terminal when the determining unit determines that the reservation does not match the predetermined reservation. |
| US09232181B2 |
Integration of home entertainment devices with a software client for telephony
A communication system including a communication network, an entertainment device connected to the communication network, and an application server connected to the communication network. The entertainment device has a software client adapted to provide real time two-way communication between the entertainment device and a telephony device connected to the communication network. The application server is adapted to communicate with the software client and facilitate the real time two-way communication between the entertainment device and the telephony device. |
| US09232178B2 |
Time-based multivariable secure facility alarm system
An exemplary embodiment provides for a computer-implemented method that generates a time-based multivariable secure facility alarm. The method includes selecting a person for alert monitoring, alert monitor criteria pertaining to the person and alarm notification rules. When an occurrence that satisfies the alert monitor criteria are detected, an alarm notification, based upon the alarm notification rules, is generated. The method's alert monitor criteria include at least two events and a time period such that the alert monitor criteria is satisfied when the at least two events occur within the time period. Additionally, at least one event of the at least two events is a non-telephonic event. |
| US09232172B2 |
Two-stage light modulation for high dynamic range
An imaging apparatus for two-stage light modulation in high-definition digital projection or cinema can include two light modulators. Each light modulator can include a multi-chip imaging system coupled to a total internal reflection prism (TIR) system, which has a light input face and an on-state face. Relay optics can be positioned between the two light modulators. The relay optics can be configured to defocus light received from the pre-modulator and to provide defocused light to the prime modulator using a substantially Gaussian pixel shaping function. The prime modulator can be oriented to receive defocused light from the relay optics at the light input face of its TIR prism system. The pre-modulator can be oriented backwards, so as to receive source light at the on-state face of its TIR prism system and to output pre-modulated light to the relay optics via the light input face of the TIR prism system. |
| US09232168B2 |
Systems and methods for providing user interfaces in an intelligent television
An intelligent television can provide various interfaces for navigating processes associated with providing content. The user interfaces include unique visual representations and organizations that allow the user to utilize the intelligent television more easily and more effectively. Particularly, the user interfaces pertain to the display of media content, electronic programming guide information, television content, and other content. Further, the user interfaces provide unique process of transitioning between the content. |
| US09232167B2 |
Video system and remote control with touch interface for supplemental content display
Disclosed herein is a method of operating a remote control system having a touch interface. The method comprises receiving a user input through the touch interface, generating a control communication corresponding to the user input and transferring the control communication from a communication transceiver to remotely control a display of content on a video display system, receiving into the communication transceiver supplemental content for display on the touch interface, and displaying the supplemental content on the touch interface while the video display system displays the content. |
| US09232162B2 |
Optical isolation of optically black pixels in image sensors
Optical isolation is provided for optically black pixels in image sensors. Image sensors, such as backside illumination (BSI) image sensors, may have an active pixel array and an array having optically black pixels. Isolation structures such as a metal wall may be formed in a dielectric stack between an active pixel array and optically black pixels. Patterned shallow trench isolation regions or polysilicon regions may be formed in a substrate between an active pixel array and optically black pixels. An absorption region such as a germanium-doped absorption region may be formed in a substrate between an active pixel array and optically black pixels. Optical isolation and absorption regions may be formed in a ring surrounding an active pixel array. |
| US09232159B2 |
Imaging systems with crosstalk calibration pixels
An image sensor may include crosstalk calibration pixels. Crosstalk calibration pixels may include exposed pixels and shielded pixels. Exposed pixels may be partially or completely surrounded by shielded pixels. Calibration pixels may be formed in a checkerboard pattern of alternating shielded and exposed pixels or a double checkerboard pattern of alternating pairs of shielded and exposed pixels. Exposed pixels may have apertures of various size in a shielding layer that shields the shielded pixels from light. Signals generated by exposed and shielded pixels may be used in assessing pixel optical and electrical crosstalk and indirectly deducing the spectral composition of incoming light for particular locations in a pixel array. Information about local crosstalk across the array may be used in coordinate dependent color correction matrices, white balance algorithms, luminance and chroma noise cancellation, edge sharpening, assessment of pixel implantation depth, and measuring a modulation transfer function. |
| US09232152B2 |
Image capturing apparatus and control method thereof for correcting exposure unevenness caused by an external light change
An image capturing apparatus comprises an image capturing unit configured to capture an object image, a flicker detection unit configured to detect a flicker, a generation unit configured to generate a flicker image which is affected by the flicker or appears to be affected by the flicker from an image captured by the image capturing unit when the flicker detection unit detects the flicker, a display unit configured to display an image, and a control unit configured to control the display unit to display an image which is not affected by the flicker and the flicker image. |
| US09232149B2 |
Determining a final exposure setting automatically for a solid state camera without a separate light metering circuit
An embodiment of the invention is a method of generating a final exposure setting, including, (a) selecting one of a number of predetermined exposure settings as a current exposure setting for a solid state camera having a camera imager, (b) generating a captured scene by the camera imager using the current exposure setting, (c) selecting according to an automated search methodology another one of the exposure settings to be the current setting in response to the captured scene being underexposed or overexposed, and, (d) repeating (b) and (c) until the captured scene is neither underexposed or overexposed. |
| US09232146B2 |
Imaging device with processing to change sound data
The disclosure herein aims to provide an electronic device that makes a sound recording, which gives a realistic sensation. An electronic device disclosed herein includes an imaging unit that captures an image of a subject; an acquiring unit that acquires a parameter having a constant relation with a subject distance that is a distance from the subject to the device; a sound collecting unit that collects sound and generates sound data; a zooming unit that adjusts a magnification of an image of the subject; and a sound processing unit that changes a degree of changing a volume indicated by the sound data with respect to the change in the magnification, according to the parameter. |
| US09232145B2 |
Hand-held electronic device and display method
The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a hand-held electronic device and a display method, the hand-held electronic device comprising an image processor configured to provide image data; a first display configured to display the first image based on the image data; a first optical system configured to receive light emitted from the first display and change the light path of the light emitted from the first display to form a first magnified virtual image, wherein the length of the light path between the first optical system and the first display is shorter than the focus of the first optical system; a first window configured to allow a viewer to see the first magnified virtual image through the first optical system when the viewer comes close to the first window. |
| US09232135B2 |
System and method for controlling temperature in mobile device
A temperature control system of a mobile device is provided. The system includes a memory for storing a set temperature value and a release temperature value, a temperature sensor for sensing an internal temperature of the mobile device; at least one module that emits heat, and a controller. The controller compares the output of the temperature sensor with the set temperature value in a normal mode in order to determine whether the mobile device is overheated, and controls, if the mobile device is overheated, the at least one module to operate in a heat generation suppressing mode, compares the output of the temperature sensor with the release temperature value in the heat generation suppressing mode in order to determine whether to release the heat generation suppressing mode, and executes the normal mode if the heat generation suppressing mode is released according to the comparison result. |
| US09232132B1 |
Light field image processing
Light field image processing includes generating a projected image using a light source, wherein the projected image includes a sharp feature, capturing a first light field image of a scene including the projected image, and determining, using a circuit block, a distance for the sharp feature from the first light field image. |
| US09232125B2 |
Method of eliminating a shutter-lag, camera module, and mobile device having the same
A method of reducing shutter-lag in a camera image sensor may include maintaining a sensor output image to have a low resolution in a preview mode of a camera image sensor; changing a resolution of the sensor output image from a low resolution to a high resolution in response to a capture preparation signal to change an operation mode of the camera image sensor from a preview mode to a capture preparation mode, the low resolution being a resolution equal to or below a reference resolution, the high resolution being a resolution above the reference resolution; and capturing the sensor output image in response to a capture signal in the capture preparation mode of the camera image sensor. |
| US09232122B2 |
Camera module having an array sensor
An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes an array sensor arrayed with a plurality of image sensors, and a plurality of lens units respectively mounted on the plurality of image sensors. |
| US09232120B2 |
Image processor
Disclosed is an image processor that reduces or eliminates the effects of a flash band regardless of performing a shutter operation or not. An imaging device includes a flash band detector configured to determine whether each image of the consecutive images shown by image signals output from an imager is a flash band image a part of which is affected by a flash, and a flash band compensator configured to, if a first image is determined as the flash band image, generate a third image which is supposed where the third image is fully affected by a flash by using a second image which is not determined as the flash band image, and output the third image instead of the first image. |
| US09232117B2 |
Digital Schlieren imaging
A Schlieren imaging system can comprise a digital display configured to provide a background for Schlieren imaging, a cutoff filter onto which the background is focused, and a camera configured to image the cutoff filter and the background to facilitate Schlieren imaging. A calibration method for the Schlieren imaging system can comprise forming a pixel image on a digital display, focusing the pixel image on the cutoff filter, imaging the cutoff filter and the pixel image with a camera; and moving the pixel image with respect to the cutoff filter to align the pixel image with respect to the cutoff filter to facilitate Schlieren imaging. Thus, alignment of the Schlieren imaging system can be substantially simplified. |
| US09232111B2 |
Image forming apparatus and computer
According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a display section, an input section, a control section, and an image forming section. The display section displays a printing target image as a preview. The input section receives designation of an area from a user on a preview image displayed by the display section. The control section distinguishes a region of the printing target image such that a part of a region in the designated area is one of color and monochrome and the other part of the region is the other of the color and the monochrome. The image forming section forms the printing target image on a sheet according to the distinction of the color and the monochrome by the control section. |
| US09232108B2 |
Print management in print-on-demand jobs
A method for managing reproduction of a print generation of a document, where a machine-readable pattern of the original print has been previously generated and printed on the original print and containing document registration and management information of the original print. The method includes the steps of receiving a print-on-demand (POD) job order for producing a reprint of the original print, retrieving document registration information and print management information from the machine-readable pattern, authenticating the original print based on the document registration information, verifying reprint permission based on the print management information, generating a new machine-readable pattern for the reprint, maintaining a master machine-readable pattern on a digital form of the document or a data file for the document with updated information of the reprint, and completing the POD job order by producing the reprint with the new machine-readable pattern. |
| US09232107B2 |
Image processing apparatus that prevents erroneous transmission, method of controlling the same, and storage medium
An image processing apparatus capable of preventing erroneous transmission due to a change in destination information in a shared address book. A CPU acquires destination information including at least an identifier and a destination, and a destination of the image data is designated from the acquired destination information. Information on the designated destination of the image data is stored in a destination usage history table. The CPU determines whether or not the acquired destination information has been changed by comparing the designated destination information and the destination information stored in the destination usage history table. If it is determined that the destination information has been changed, a screen for confirming the destination information is displayed. The destination information is designated from the acquired destination information according to a user's confirming operation on the displayed screen. |
| US09232105B2 |
Image forming apparatus configured for consumable replacement in power saving mode
An image forming apparatus comprising a plurality of devices driven by power and configured to be operated in: 1) a standby mode in which the image forming apparatus stands by a start of an image formation; or 2) a power saving mode in which power supply to a part of the plurality of devices is stopped so that the power consumption of the image forming apparatus in the power saving mode is reduced compared with that of the image forming apparatus in the standby mode. The image forming apparatus further including a door which is opened when consumable material is supplied, and a door opened/closed sensor configured to detect the door opening or door closing. |
| US09232103B2 |
Terminal apparatus and computer readable medium
Aspects of the disclosure provide a terminal apparatus communicable with a plurality of external devices, which includes an input device and an output device, via a network. The terminal device includes a controller configured to execute a main function including an input function to be executed by the input device and an output function to be executed by the output device. When a cancel command is received, the controller may cancel execution of the input function or cancel execution of the output function. |
| US09232102B2 |
Image sensor unit and image reading device
A contact-type image sensor is designed to prevent, in an effective manner, dust from entering into a space between a rod lens array and a light receiving sensor. A rod lens array includes a large number of rod lenses between two flat substrates and between spacers located at left and right ends; one row of the rod lenses is arranged in such a way that central axes of the rod lenses become parallel to each other. At an emission side of a rod lens in an axis line direction, each substrate includes an extension portion, whose length is determined based on an operating distance of the rod lens. A lower end of the extension portion of each substrate is in contact with an upper surface of a sensor substrate. In this manner, the rod lens array is positioned with high accuracy with respect to the light receiving sensor. |
| US09232094B2 |
System and method for move and drop of clone image on a touch panel
A data processing apparatus includes a position detection portion for detecting a position designated on a display, a data select portion for selecting data identified by a first image displayed on the display as target data, a clone image display portion for arranging a clone image corresponding to the first image at the detected position, a clone image moving portion for moving the clone image, a second image display portion for arranging one or more second images for identifying one or more kinds of processes executable on the target data at positions based on the position of the first image, a candidate process decision portion for deciding a process identified by the second image having a predetermined relative positional relation to the clone image as a candidate process, and an execution process decision portion for deciding the candidate process as an execution process when the position is no longer detected. |
| US09232093B2 |
Information processing apparatus, system, and method
An information processing apparatus includes a notification part, a request part, and a display part. The notification part transmits information for determining whether to display an error display screen to an application in execution installed in the information processing apparatus, in response to reception of a notification of an error during the execution of the application. The request part requests display of the error display screen in response to reception of a display request, the display request being transmitted from the application in execution in response to reception of the information from the notification part. The display part displays the error display screen in response to the request by the request part. |
| US09232089B2 |
Display processing apparatus, control method, and computer program
An image processing apparatus displays an input screen including a setting area in which setting items are selectably arranged, and detects an operation on the input screen. When a flick operation has been detected in the setting area, the image processing apparatus enlarges the setting area, and moves the setting items in the setting area based on the speed of the flick operation. Then, the image processing apparatus sets a setting item in a selection area among a plurality of the setting items arranged in the enlarged setting area to a selected state. |
| US09232088B1 |
Scanning in a defined region on a display screen
A computing device is equipped with a display device primarily for display purpose. Techniques are described to modify such a display device to have the scanning capability and define a scanning region, where only the part of a scanning object falling into the scanning region is scanned. |
| US09232086B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing system, and information processing method for displaying user information when user authorization is not known
There is provided an information processing apparatus. A reception unit receives user identification information for identifying a user of the information processing apparatus which outputs display information to a display device which displays the display information, and the display information which is output to the display device. A transmission unit, in a case where it is authorized that the user is permitted to use the information processing apparatus based on an authorized result of the user identification information received by the reception unit, transmits the user identification information and the display information to the display device when it is unclear whether or not the user is authorized to output the display information received by the reception unit to the display device and a predetermined condition about the user for outputting the display information to the display device is satisfied. |
| US09232084B2 |
Tracking source of job parameters in print jobs
Methods and devices receive a print job, evaluate the print job to identify job parameter settings and associated sources of the job parameter settings, transmit the job parameter settings and the associated sources to a database, and transmit the print job to a marking device to cause the marking device to print the print job. These methods and devices also provide access to the database to view the job parameter settings and the associated sources, and/or change the job parameter settings. The access to the database is provided before and/or after the marking device prints the print job. When evaluating the print job, these methods and devices identify “potential” and “final” job parameter settings and associated sources. The final settings and sources are used to perform marking and finishing operations, while the potential setting and sources comprise a pre-printing, job preparation history in the database. |
| US09232079B2 |
Method and system for enabling shared mobile data usage
Disclosed is a system and method for enabling personalized shared mobile phone usage when accessing data services within a wireless telecommunications network, including an illustrative example application of the invention as it relates to mobile subscribers who cannot afford a mobile phone handset in emerging markets. For instance, a prepaid wireless subscriber can have a personal phone number associated with their own billing account, which can be used to access data services on a wireless network without needing to purchase any hardware, such as a mobile handset or SIM card. Thus, the subscriber may access his account and use data services through a borrowed handset. |
| US09232076B2 |
Methods and systems of providing status message calling
In an embodiment, a method of providing a status message may include receiving, from a mobile device one or more status messages, wherein each status message corresponds to one or more contacts in an address book, storing the status messages and corresponding one or more contacts, transmitting one of the status messages to a mobile device associated with one of the one or more contacts, wherein the status message is displayed on the associated mobile device and integrating the status message into an address book associated with the contact. |
| US09232074B2 |
Device for access to the internet via a mobile communication network
A device is provided to access the Internet via a mobile communication network, including a data processing module arranged in a casing and a flexible cable extending outside the casing and connected to the data processing module. The cable ends in a connector for connection of the device to an item of equipment. The casing includes at least one main engagement element for the connector. The casing is configured so that when the connector is engaged in the main engagement element, the cable forms a loop defining a space between the casing and the cable to hang the device. |
| US09232069B2 |
Teleconference calls based on calendar events
An example embodiment disclosed herein includes a vehicle teleconferencing system. The vehicle teleconferencing system includes an abstraction and communication device (hereinafter “device”) and a mobile device. The device includes an adaptor configured to interface with a Controller Area Network bus of a vehicle and to abstract vehicle data from the vehicle. The mobile device includes an operation determination module, a clock, and a teleconferencing module. The operation determination module is configured to determine that an operator is operating the vehicle based on a subset of the data. The clock is configured to track actual time. The teleconferencing module is configured to access a teleconference calendar event that includes a scheduled time and teleconference contact information, and when the actual time is within a predetermined threshold of the scheduled time and the operator is operating the vehicle, to prompt the operator to join a teleconference. |
| US09232068B2 |
Conference call authentication utilizing passcodes personal to users
A system comprises a plurality of user devices and a conference call bridge connected to the plurality of end user devices via one or more networks. The conference call bridge is configured to connect to a given one of the plurality of user devices, receive a passcode from the given user device, and authenticate the given user device using the passcode. The passcode is personal to the given user. |
| US09232065B1 |
Group pseudo-profiles for online sessions
A method, computer program product, and system is described. A group including a plurality of individuals is defined based upon, at least in part, participation of the plurality of individuals in one or more consumption sessions. A group profile is designated for the group. Consumption of a first item of content by a portion of the group during a consumption session participated in by at least the portion of the group is identified. An indicator associated with the first item of content consumed by the portion of the group during the consumption session is associated with the group profile. A recommendation of a second item of content is provided to one or more members of the group, wherein the recommendation is based upon, at least in part, associating with the group profile the indicator associated with the first item of content. |
| US09232064B1 |
Contact center agent training trajectory
Contact center strived to provide needed skills in close proximity to an anticipated demand for the skills. Skills may be needed to replace agents that are reassigned or that are no longer agents of the contact center. Training and recruitment of agents represents a significant investment in time money and other agents for a contact center. Determining a trajectory for a particular candidate to acquire the needed skill, at a point before the contact center fully invests in training, allows the agent to be excluded from future training should the agent not perform as expected were in the performance is measured at least one midpoint towards acquisition of the needed skill. As a benefit, agents can be directed towards acquiring the needed skills from other sources. |
| US09232062B2 |
Mobile automatic location identification (ALI) for first responders
Automatic Location Indication (ALI) data is digitally transferred from a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) to a first responder via a web site accessed by the first responder. The web site lists each live E911 call within their jurisdiction, and appends the caller's ALI and/or other location data relative to each call. Preferably the first responders (e.g., police car, paramedic, ambulance, fire truck, etc.) can view not only the emergency caller's information for those E911 calls that they are responding to, but also information about other emergency callers that other first responders are responding to. This facilitates the actual response to individual emergency calls as well as the overall management of multiple responders to multiple emergency calls. |
| US09232061B2 |
Method of providing 911 service to a private branch exchange
A method of providing 911 service to a private branch exchange, includes grouping a plurality of private telephone numbers into a set. An outgoing telephone line for a 911 call is assigned to the set. A location information for the outgoing telephone line is input into a location database. |
| US09232060B2 |
Management of contact lists
During communications sessions between an agent in a call center and a customer, it is often desirable that a secondary agent is consulted, the secondary agent perhaps more suited to the particular needs of the customer. It is preferred that the original agent is presented with a list of the best-suited agents with which to consult, if needs be. Accordingly, a system and method for managing a list of contacts for presentation to a user of a computer system (e.g. a call center agent) is disclosed. The system provides for the monitoring of live communications between an agent and a customer, and further provides for the detecting of a pattern of data in the monitored live communications interaction (e.g. utilising speech recognition to recognise use of a particular keyword). The system is then operable to present a list of suggested contacts to the agent, the suggested contacts chosen based on a match between selection criteria for that contact and on the particular data pattern detected. |
| US09232056B2 |
Apparatus for blocking unwanted telephone calls and faxes
An apparatus for blocking unwanted calls is disclosed. The apparatus incorporates a whitelist which the user can program so that known friendly callers are not interrupted by the apparatus. The apparatus also incorporates a blacklist which automatically rejects known unwanted callers so that the user is not interrupted by these calls. Additionally, the apparatus allows the user to easily add new numbers to either the blacklist or white list and also to delete numbers from the white list, blacklist or master list of caller IDs. For new numbers, callers are presented with a simple but yet effective message that states that the caller should hang up if the caller is a solicitor or telemarketer, or otherwise press zero so that the apparatus can allow the call to go through to the telephone. |
| US09232048B2 |
Quality of experience determination for multi-party VoIP conference calls that account for focus degradation effects
In one embodiment, the quality of experience for a multi-part conference call is determined. Values for network characteristics for a conference call between at least three parties is captured using a multi-party conference call system. The network characteristics encompasses at least parameters expressed in an E-Model R-Factor equation. A quality of experience (QoE) is determined that accounts for degradation effects. The determined QoE is represented as a corrected mean opinion score (MOS) perceived by the receiving party. A controllable parameter of the conference call is dynamically and automatically modified to positively affect the determined QoE of the receiving party when the QoS is below a designated minimal QoE threshold. |
| US09232047B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing repeat calling
A method and apparatus for providing a repeat calling service feature in a communication network are disclosed. For example, the method captures call session information between a calling endpoint and a called endpoint of a failed call due to an unavailability of required network resource. The method then receives a repeat calling service request from the calling endpoint, and processes the repeat calling service request to reestablish a call between the calling endpoint and the called endpoint. |
| US09232044B2 |
Mobile terminal and control method thereof
A mobile terminal and a control method thereof are provided. The method according to an embodiment includes displaying, on a screen of a display unit of the mobile terminal, a first image including a plurality of items; receiving a selection of at least one item among the plurality of the displayed items; indicating, on the first image, the at least one selected item as selected; while the at least one selected item is indicated as selected, when an event of changing the displayed first image to a second image occurs, executing an application for processing the event, the event being initiated by the mobile terminal; and after the application is executed, re-displaying, on the screen, the first image having one or more of the at least one selected item as still selected. |
| US09232036B2 |
Case for an electronic device
To provide the case for an electronic device where the device is equipped with the camera and the flash that are adjacent to each other. The case has at least one hole in the case body to expose the camera and the flash. The camera hole has a depth and is formed by a cylindrical wall, and the shading area is provided on the hole wall. |
| US09232035B2 |
Electronic device for preventing leakage of received sound
An electronic device for preventing leakage of a received sound is provided. The electronic device includes a receiver which outputs the received sound; a receiving portion which receives the receiver; and a hole which communicates with the receiving portion. |
| US09232033B2 |
Attachable mobile phone keypad device
The present invention includes a telephone keypad adapted to be mounted to a back surface of a mobile telephone, a mobile telephone including such keypad. The keypad includes a plurality of alphanumerical keys adapted for allowing text entry into the mobile telephone; and an attachment part for mounting the keypad to the mobile telephone. |
| US09232032B2 |
Electronic device and communication device
There is provided an electronic device which includes a display device, a case configured to retain the display device, a stopper disposed between the retained display device and the case, and a component arranged in a space formed by disposing the stopper. Further, there is provided an electronic device which includes a display device, a case including a first space for retaining the display device, the display device being operable to be slid into the first space, a stopper disposed in a second space between the retained display device and the case, and an electronic device arranged in a third space formed by arranging the stopper. |
| US09232026B2 |
System for communicating control messages in an AVB network
A system that includes a transmitting apparatus and a receiving apparatus may communicate over an Ethernet Audio/Video Bridging network. The transmitting apparatus and the receiving apparatus may each include an application layer module in communication with an application interface module. The application layer module of the transmitting apparatus may interface with the application interface module to send a control message over the network to control flow of a data stream over the network. The application layer module of the receiving apparatus may interface with the application to interface module to receive the control message. |
| US09232025B2 |
Entry of electric power delivery system data in a web-based interface
Disclosed herein are a variety of systems and methods for entry of data relating to an electrical power delivery system using a web-based interface. One embodiment may include a computer program product having a client-side module to communicate with a server-side module. The client-side module may further include a web browser interface module to retrieve data entered by an operator into a data entry field in a web browser, a user interface module to display variable length data to a user via the web browser, and a communication module to manage communication with the server-side module. The communication module may further be configured to generate an object comprising data entered by the user into the web browser, transmit the object to the server, and receive a response from the server. |
| US09232020B2 |
Deploying services during fulfillment of a service request
Deployment of a plurality of services to a plurality of nodes in a communication network during fulfillment of a service request may be facilitated. A request for the services may be received from the service consumer via a first node of the plurality of nodes. The first node is associated with the service consumer. One or more second nodes of the plurality of nodes are identified in the communication network. Each of the one or more second nodes is associated with one or more service providers. It is determined whether the first node and the one or more second nodes are capable of providing the requested services. The provision of the requested services is assigned to the first node, one or more of the second nodes, or a combination thereof, based on the determination. |
| US09232017B2 |
Systems and methods for managing profiles
Methods and systems for managing profiles for electronic content. The methods and systems may involve profiles for a plurality of electronic content items. If a user interaction with an electronic content item of the plurality of electronic content items meets an event definition, the user interaction may be identified as an event associated with the electronic content and recorded in the profile. |
| US09232015B1 |
Translation layer for client-server communication
System and method for facilitating communication between client and target machine are disclosed. Method includes facilitating receiving data from client. Data is in global secure network communication protocol. Method includes facilitating provision of translation layer for converting data between global secure network communication protocol and specific gateway interface associated with target machine. Translation layer is configured to imitate server compatible with client or client compatible with target machine. Method includes encoding, via operation of translation layer, data into encoded data in specific gateway interface associated with target machine. Specific gateway interface is different from the global secure network communication protocol. Method includes facilitating transmitting encoded data to target machine. Method includes facilitating receiving first response from target machine. First response is in specific gateway interface. Method includes converting first response into second response. Second response is in global secure network communication protocol. Method includes providing second response to client. |
| US09232012B1 |
Method and system for data usage accounting in a computing device
A method and system for data usage accounting are described herein. As an example, the method can be practiced in a setting that includes both secure applications and unsecure applications. Via one of the secure applications, a request to access data can be received in which the request is intended for a content provider via a system service. The request that is intended for the content provider via the system service can be intercepted and modified, which can cause the system service to direct the request back to the secure application instead of the content provider. In addition, a connection can be established with the content provider for the request through the secure application to enable data usage accounting of data that is returned by the content provider. |
| US09232010B1 |
Method and apparatus for context aware intelligent message handling
A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for context aware intelligent message handling. In the context of a method, the method includes receiving a message, that includes a message identifier, determining if the message is dependent on an unprocessed message, causing a message status, including a message identifier, to be stored in a memory, causing the message to be stored in the memory in an instance in which the message is dependent on an unprocessed messages, receiving a message process completion indication from a downstream system and updating the message status based on the message process completion indication; determining if the message stored in the memory continues to be dependent on an unprocessed message based on the updated message status, and causing the transmission of the message to the downstream system in an instance in which the message is no longer dependent on an unprocessed message. |
| US09232007B2 |
Universal document transport
A universal document transport facility is described where, in various embodiments, the facility recognizes document requests based on a received document, interacts with document routing rules and workflow requirements with respect to the received document, and manages content flows between network nodes or devices. In various embodiments, the facility includes a document transport module for transporting documents between network devices, such as printers, fax boards, and content servers and across local and wide-area networks; functionality for routing optimization with other communications networks, such as messaging services, telephony, and IP networks; and flexible document transport capabilities to workflow applications and multifunction devices (such as all-in-one print/scan/copy/fax/telephone/answering machine devices) and multifunction devices enhanced with video & video capture, messaging, email, network router & gateway capabilities. |
| US09232000B1 |
Method and system for balancing load across target endpoints on a server and initiator endpoints accessing the server
A method and system for balancing load across a set of target endpoints available on a server, and initiator endpoints accessing the server. The method including starting rebalancing of target endpoints at a defined interval, receiving monitored load data for a set of target endpoints, disqualifying target endpoints in the set of target endpoints that have a low load, selecting a next most busy target endpoint, marking the selected target endpoint as disqualified, classifying alternate paths of virtual connections assigned to the selected target endpoint according to busyness of endpoints of the alternate paths, load order and load imbalance, examining a load reduction offered by the alternate paths in order of classification, and returning an alternate path that has a highest load reduction for target endpoint. |
| US09231999B2 |
Multi-level load balancer
The multi-level load balancing system receives requests for resources provided by any of a plurality of resource nodes. The multi-level load balancing system receives a first result from a first load balancing module that orders each of the plurality of nodes that are available to service the request based on a first algorithm. The multi-level load balancing system then receives a second result from a second load balancing module that orders each of the plurality of nodes that are available to service the request based on a second algorithm. The multi-level load balancing system combines the first result and the second result to form a third result that is uses to select one of the plurality of resources nodes to service the request. |
| US09231997B2 |
Discovering device drivers within a domain of a premises
A system for managing a domain in a premises is described. The system includes: an action identifier coupled with a server, the action identifier identifies an action to be mapped to a device of the at least one device, wherein the device comprises a communication port that supports a first protocol; a device driver determiner coupled with the server, the device driver determiner determines a device driver that supports a second protocol, wherein the second protocol supports the action; a comparer coupled with the server, the comparer compares the second protocol with a domain configuration store comprising device configuration information for the at least one device; and a device driver implementer coupled with the server, the device driver implementer implements, based on the comparing, the device driver when the first protocol corresponds to the second protocol such that the action is enabled for performance. |
| US09231991B1 |
Method and apparatus of providing notification services to smartphone devices
A method and apparatus of establishing a notification distribution is disclosed. The method may include receiving user information in a notification database identifying a notification recipient. The method may further provide receiving synchronization information from a business entity configured to upload notifications intended for the at least one user recipient. The method may also include transmitting at least one notification to the user recipient during a time window specified by the business entity. |
| US09231988B2 |
Intercluster repository synchronizer and method of synchronizing objects using a synchronization indicator and shared metadata
An intercluster repository synchronizer and method for synchronizing objects are disclosed. An example intercluster repository synchronizer includes an information processing system, including a processor, computer-readable medium, and network device. The intercluster repository synchronizer includes a structured information repository on the computer-readable medium. The structured information repository contains a plurality of records corresponding to a selected group of stored information objects. The intercluster repository synchronizer further includes a synchronization indicator that stores an address associated with a remote replication target. The intercluster repository synchronizer also includes a replicator, operable to send a message using the network device to the replication target responsive to changes in the structured information repository, and further operable to receive a message that a plurality of stored information objects have been duplicated at the remote replication target. The duplicated stored information objects are selected based on a shared metadata indicator stored in the structured information repository. |
| US09231985B2 |
Source device, router and control method
A method of controlling a router to transmit Content-Centric Network (CCN)-based real-time contents is provided. The method includes receiving identification information regarding real-time contents that a target device is to receive from a source device and transmitting the real-time contents to the target device, and in response to content request information which is generated based on the identification information being received from the target device, transmitting to the target device contents which correspond to the received request information. |
| US09231984B1 |
Systems and methods for hair pinning time-division multiplexing calls across time domains
A system for hair pinning-time division multiplexing (TDM) calls has a gateway positioned between a non-TDM network and communication equipment coupled to the gateway via a plurality of TDM lines. The gateway has a plurality of signal processing elements configured to encapsulate the TDM call data into a plurality of packets utilizing a protocol suitable for transmission through the network, and each signal processing element has its own time domain such that the signal processing elements operate asynchronously. The gateway also has a central processing element configured to forward the packets to the network via the network protocol. The central processing element is further configured to identify packets which are mapped to channels of TDM lines coupled to the gateway and to forward the packets to the appropriate signal processing element for transmission through the appropriate TDM channel. Accordingly, hair pinning across asynchronous time domains is achieved within the gateway. |
| US09231981B2 |
Rules driven multiple passwords
A rules driven multiple passwords system is provided wherein a list of stored passwords are used in rotation over time in accordance with a set of rules or conditions managed by the system. With such an arrangement, the currently active password of a system User may automatically be changed, in accordance with the rules or conditions, to the next password in the list. The User is notified as to the newly assigned password. |
| US09231977B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing collaborative privacy policies for a shared device
An approach is provided for determining one or more user inputs for specifying configurable privacy-related data for at least one shared device, wherein the one or more user inputs are associated with one or more users of the at least one shared device. The approach involves processing and/or facilitating a processing of the one or more user inputs to identify at least one potential privacy conflict resulting from the one or more user inputs. The approach also involves causing, at least in part, an initiation of at least one privacy preserving action based, at least in part, on the at least one potential privacy conflict. |
| US09231974B2 |
Dynamic policy-based entitlements from external data repositories
A machine-implemented method for evaluating a context-based (e.g., XACML) policy having a set of attributes formulates a search against one or more existing external repositories using a query that is dynamically-generated based on the security policy being evaluated. The approach shifts the building of a candidate set of potentially-allowable resources to the authorization engine (e.g., a Policy Decision Point (PDP)). In operation, an application calls the PDP using an entitlement request and, in response, the PDP builds the candidate set of values based on the defined security policy by generating a query to an external data repository and receiving the results of that query. This approach enables a policy-driven entitlement query at runtime. |
| US09231972B2 |
Malicious website identifying method and system
The present disclosure discloses a method of identifying malicious websites. The method includes: filtering a target website using a local website-filtering list; if the target website is not on the local website-filtering list, filtering the target website using a server website-filtering list. The present disclosure also discloses, based on the above-described method, a system for identifying malicious websites. By using the disclosed malicious website identifying method and system, the number of times needed to access a network to identify malicious websites can be reduced effectively. That is, the number of times that the identification calculation is performed by a network server can be reduced and, thus, increasing the speed of the identification process and reducing network traffic. As a result, the efficiency of the malicious website identifying process can be improved. |
| US09231971B2 |
Protecting a user from a compromised web resource
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of protecting a user from a compromised web resource. The method may include monitoring a user's requests for trusted web resources to determine one or more web resources to be checked. The method may include querying a network database based on the determined one or more web resources to obtain historical data relating to whether any of the one or more web resources has been compromised at any time during a preceding time period. The method may include providing a predetermined response to protect the user if any of the one or more web resources has been compromised. |
| US09231970B2 |
Security-aware admission control of requests in a distributed system
Techniques for security-aware admission control of requests in a distributed system. A method includes identifying a request dropped by a first application component in a distributed system, determining one or more actions to take with respect to the dropped request, said determining comprises identifying one or more policies of the first application component responsible for the dropped request and identifying one or more additional application components in the distributed system to be affected based on the identified one or more policies, and executing said one or more actions to control admission of one or more requests associated with the dropped request at the one or more additional application components. |
| US09231966B2 |
Using a content delivery network for security monitoring
A content delivery network includes a plurality of cache servers. Each cache server is configured to receive a request for content from a client system and receive content and security data from a content server. Each cache server is further configured to provide the content to the client system and provide the security data to a monitoring system. |
| US09231963B2 |
Detecting anomalous behavior patterns in an electronic environment
The behavior of a group of resources, such as a fleet of servers, can be monitored to attempt to determine a baseline of acceptable behaviors. When a behavior is observed, the baseline can be consulted to determine whether the behavior is indicated to be acceptable. If not, the rate or extent at which the newly observed behavior is observed on groupings of similar resources can be monitored. This information can be used to determine whether the behavior is acceptable in which case information for the observed behavior can be used to automatically update the baseline such that the baseline is representative of current acceptable behavior within the group of resources. |
| US09231962B1 |
Identifying suspicious user logins in enterprise networks
Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for identifying suspicious user logins in enterprise networks are provided herein. A method includes processing log data derived from one or more data sources associated with an enterprise network, wherein the enterprise network comprises multiple hosts; generating a set of profiles, wherein the set comprises a profile corresponding to each of multiple users and a profile corresponding to each of the multiple hosts, wherein each profile comprises one or more login patterns based on historical login information derived from said log data; and analyzing a login instance within the enterprise network against the set of profiles. |
| US09231961B2 |
System, method and computer readable medium for message authentication to subscribers of an internet service provider
An internet service provider (ISP) is configured to provide notification messages such as service updates to subscribers via redirected web pages. In order for the web pages to be treated as originating from the ISP, the ISP provides a shared secret in the browser message. The shared secret may be a secret not derivable by viruses or trojans in the subscriber computer, such as a MAC address of the subscriber modem. |
| US09231959B2 |
Multiple transaction interface framework
Example methods and systems are directed to a multiple transaction interface framework. A system may comprise three computing devices. The first computing device may be accessible to a plurality of users. The second computing device may be inaccessible to the plurality of users, but accessible by a user account of the first computing device. The third computing device may be inaccessible to the plurality of users, and inaccessible by the user account of the first computing device, but accessible by a user account of the second computing device. In some example embodiments, the first computing device causes a user interface to be presented. The user interface may include data retrieved from the second computing device. The data may have been retrieved by the second computing device from the third computing device, which may be configured to store the data. |
| US09231957B2 |
Monitoring and controlling a storage environment and devices thereof
Data identifying server storage devices and logical storage entities is received. A storage object model based on the received data is generated. A first user type is associated with the server storage devices and logical storage entities. A second user type is associated with the logical storage entities. A first user is allowed to access data associated with the sever storage devices and the logical storage entities in response to determining that the first user is identified as the first user type. A second user is allowed to access data associated with the logical storage entities and not allowed to access data associated with the server storage devices in response to determining that the second user is identified as the second user type. |
| US09231955B1 |
Multiparty authorization for controlling resource access
The subject disclosure is generally directed towards an automated mechanism in a computer network or system that controls resource access to any resource designated as needing multiparty authorization. In one aspect, a resource that needs multiparty authorization before access is allowed is identified, along with policy that specifies an authorizer (or multiple authorizers) for the resource. An access control list may contain metadata that indicates the need for multiparty authorization. Authorization may be provided via a token, which may be cached for future use. |
| US09231948B1 |
Techniques for providing remote computing services
Techniques, including systems and methods, for providing access to remote computing services are described and suggested herein. In an embodiment, a first computer system provides a key to a user device over a network. The user device provides the received key to a second computer system that uses the key to authenticate the user device. The second computer system executes an operating system for the user device according to instructions received from the user device. Results of execution of the operating system are provided to the user device. |
| US09231946B2 |
Mobile cloud service architecture
Techniques are described for implementing a cloud computer system to facilitate communication between a computing device (e.g., a mobile computing device) and enterprise computer systems. In certain embodiments, the cloud computer system may receive, from a computing device, a request for a service provided by an enterprise computer system. The cloud computer system may determine security authentication of a user for the requested service. A security protocol may be determined for a requested enterprise computer system and a security token may be generated for the request according to the determined security protocol. The request may be sent to the requested enterprise computer system. In some embodiments, security authentication for a request to an enterprise computer system may be determined based on previous authentication. The cloud computer system may be configured to communicate with several different enterprise computer systems according to their supported protocols (e.g., communication protocol and/or security protocol). |
| US09231945B2 |
Personal digital identity device with motion sensor
A personal digital ID device provides a digital identifier to a service for a predetermined duration in response to user interaction. The user interaction may include a button press. The personal digital ID device may be in the form of a bracelet, a key fob, or other form factor. The service may be provided by a mobile device, in the cloud, or elsewhere. |
| US09231943B2 |
Client-based authentication
Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to invoke multiple authentication mechanisms, by a client node, to encrypt N split-keys using credentials associated with corresponding ones of the authentication mechanisms. Further activity may include transforming the split-keys to provide N encrypted split-keys, and storing each of the encrypted split-keys with an associated local user identity and an identity of corresponding ones of the authentication mechanisms. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. |
| US09231942B1 |
Authentication based on path indicator from a server
Systems, methods, and machine-readable media for selecting an authentication process are disclosed. A system is configured to determine whether a user account on a client device is to be authenticated. If the user account is to be authenticated, the system is configured to transmit a request for a path indicator to an authentication path server. The request includes a user account identifier corresponding to the user account. The authentication path server is configured to select the path indicator based on the user account identifier. The system is further configured to receive the path indicator from the authentication path server, select an authentication process based on the path indicator, and initiate the selected authentication process. |
| US09231941B1 |
Secure data entry
In some embodiments, techniques for secure data entry comprise presenting a data field in a spoof-resistant manner, receiving field data, and securing field data. |
| US09231939B1 |
Integrating business tools in a social networking environment
A system and method for integrating business tools in a social networking environment. A proxy access module includes a social network application, a business registration engine, an application directory engine, an access request engine and a graphical user interface engine. The social network application receives input from a user for sharing the business tool with other members of a social network. The business registration engine receives and processes registration information for allowing access to a business tool. The application directory engine determines whether the user has permission to access the business tool. The access request engine receives and processes a request for accessing a business tool via a social network. The graphical user interface engine generates graphical data for displaying a business tool. |
| US09231937B2 |
Method and system for authenticating user identity
Embodiments of the present application relate to a method for authenticating user identity, a system for authenticating user identity, and a computer program product for authenticating user identity. A method for authenticating user identity is provided. The method includes generating a first verification code by a server, displaying the first verification code to a user in an application scenario of a service requiring user identity authentication, receiving a second verification code sent by the user via another application that is other than the application scenario, comparing the second verification code sent by the user and the first verification code generated by the server, and determining whether the user has passed identity authentication based on a result of the comparison. |
| US09231935B1 |
Background auto-submit of login credentials
A method and system for automatically submitting login credentials as a background process for a user of a web service are provided. Login information corresponding to a login form of the web service is stored, where the login information comprises a login endpoint of the web service and the login credentials are used to authenticate the user for a session of the web service. A login token, generated by the web service, and its expiration date are tracked. The login credentials are then automatically submitted, without user intervention, to the web service based on the login endpoint and the expiration date of the login token. |
| US09231931B2 |
Method and apparatus of constructing secure infra-structure for using embedded universal integrated circuit card
Provided are a method and device for building a security-based environment that uses an eUICC. A method of building a trust relationship in an eUICC environment includes transmitting, by a trust requesting object, a trust relationship requesting message including identification information and signature information of the trust requesting object to a trust verifying object, delivering, by the trust verifying object, the trust relationship requesting message to a trust relationship relay object and receiving trust information of the trust requesting object corresponding to the trust relationship requesting message from the trust relationship relay object, and verifying, by the trust verifying object, the signature information of the trust requesting object using the trust information of the trust requesting object. |
| US09231927B2 |
Information processing apparatus, data generation method, information processing method, and information processing system for updating and verifying software programs
A differencing generator generates difference data between a first data set and a second data set. An encryption unit encrypts data. An electronic signature generator generates the electronic signature of data. A transmission data generator generates transmission data. The encryption unit encrypts the difference data generated by the differencing generator so as to generate encrypted difference data. The transmission data generator generates transmission data containing both the encrypted difference data generated by the encryption unit and the electronic signature of the second data set as generated by the electronic signature generator. |
| US09231924B2 |
Gesture-initiated encryption using error correction coding
Methods and systems for providing gesture-based security are disclosed. For example, a method for establishing secure communications can include receiving one or more human gestures using a sensor on a first device, quantizing the one or more human gestures so as to create a metric of the one or more human gestures, performing an error correction operation on the metric using error correction information derived from a template of the metric to create a corrected metric, performing a hashing operation on the corrected metric to create a metric hash, and comparing the metric hash to a hash of the template to verify that the one or more human gestures sufficiently conform to the template. |
| US09231923B1 |
Secure data destruction in a distributed environment using key protection mechanisms
Organizations maintain and generate large amounts of sensitive information using computer hardware resources and services of a service provider. Furthermore, there is a need to be able to delete large amounts of data securely and quickly by encrypting the data with a key and destroying the key. To ensure that information stored remotely is secured and capable of secure deletion, cryptographic keys used by the organization should be prevented from being persistently stored during serialization operations. If the keys used to encrypt the data have not been exposed during serialization operation, they may be deleted or destroyed enabling the destruction of data encrypted with the keys. |
| US09231921B2 |
System and architecture for secure computer devices
The present invention relates to a system and architecture for securing otherwise unsecured computer subsystems. According to one aspect, the invention provides an independent hardware platform for running software in a secure manner. According to another aspect, the invention provides the means to control and secure all disk, network and other I/O transactions. According to still further aspects, the invention provides a means to monitor and prevent unauthorized user and malicious software activity Additional aspects include providing a secure platform for device and user authentication as well as encryption key management, providing a means to perform background backup snapshots, and providing the means for enabling full management over computer operations. |
| US09231918B2 |
Use of virtual network interfaces and a websocket based transport mechanism to realize secure node-to-site and site-to-site virtual private network solutions
Techniques are provided herein for enabling a virtual private network (VPN) using a bidirectional, full duplex transport channel configured to send and receive application layer data packets. At a source network device that hosts a VPN client, the VPN client is configured with a bidirectional, full duplex transport channel that is configured to send and receive Open Systems Interconnection application layer data packets. The VPN client is also configured with a virtual network interface that operates to virtually link the VPN client with the transport channel. |
| US09231917B2 |
Dynamic provisioning of protection software in a host intrusion prevention system
Methods and apparatus for optimizing security configurations of a set of computers are disclosed. A set of local servers, each functioning as a deep-security manager supporting a respective subset of the computers, maintains protection software containing filters and rules for deploying each filter. A local server receives updated protection software from a central server. Each local server interrogates each computer of its subset of computers to acquire computer-characterizing data and applies relevant rules to determine an optimal set of filters for each computer. Each rule adaptively determines required characterizing data elements from each computer for determining an optimal security configuration. A local server updates the security configuration of a computer to suit changes in the operational environment of the computer. |
| US09231916B1 |
Protection against rule map update attacks
Technologies are described herein to manage the replacement of routing rules. Some example technologies may receive a request to replace one or more active rules in a routing device with one or more stored rules. Each of the active rules and the stored rules may specify a routing rule that specifies how to route packets within a network. The active rules may be routing rules that are actively being used by the routing device. The stored rules may be routing rules that are not currently in use by the routing device. A determination may be made as to whether a number of active rule replacements for the routing device exceeds a threshold. In response to determining that the number of the active rule replacements exceeds the threshold, the request to replace the one or more active rules in the routing device may be denied. |
| US09231914B2 |
Mobile device security management system
A method for managing the security of a client device in a mobile device management system (MDMS) comprises receiving a security policy at a client device, applying the security policy on the client device, determining an occurrence of a security policy event, determining a violation based on the occurrence of the security policy event and applying different security controls based on predefined elapsed times on the client device. |
| US09231909B2 |
Communication system employing subnet or prefix to determine connection to same network segment
The disclosed communication system may employ a first protocol for communication over a network connection. The communication system may use subnet information or prefix information to determine if the network connection qualifies for using a second protocol. If the communication system determines that the network connection qualifies, the communication system employs the second protocol for communication over the network connection. |
| US09231904B2 |
Deploying and managing networked devices
A method, system, and computer program product for network-connected devices. |
| US09231900B2 |
Priority of received messages communicated among end user communication devices
An exemplary method implemented by a first end-user communication device receives an electronic communication of a digital packet having a header segment and a user data segment, the user data segment containing a user message and a priority value A first message priority is determined by a first module of a enhanced services application program. The first message priority is based on the received priority value that defines first visual indicia representing a first priority for the user message, a plurality of different message priorities with associated different visual indicia being defined by corresponding priority values. Under the control of the first module, the user message concurrent with the first visual indicia are displayed on a screen segment of the first end-user's communication device so that the first priority assigned to the received user message is visually conveyed to the first end-user. |
| US09231894B1 |
Method and devices for instant message client swap
This innovation relates to a method as well as server and client devices to allow a single user to swap between devices in real-time within the same instant message session. |
| US09231885B1 |
Method and system for calculating costs of application operations in a virtually provisioned environment
Calculating costs of application operations in a virtually provisioned environment is described. Servers are identified that support application operations associated with executing an application, based on a configuration file. A count of each type of application operation currently executing and a resource utilization associated with each of the servers are recorded. A set of linear equations is created if the resource utilization is recorded on the number of occasions that equals the number of application operation types. Each linear equation equates a sum of a count of each type of application operation recorded as executing during an occasion with the resource utilization recorded on the occasion. The set of linear equations is solved to estimate and output resource costs of each individual type of application operation to assist in resource management. |
| US09231884B2 |
Traffic control device, traffic control method, and communication system
A traffic control device that controls traffic of data transmitted from mobile units that belong to different groups, includes a memory, and a processor coupled to the memory, configured to switch an output destination for the data in accordance with a group and a type of the data, store the data to a plurality of data storage sections on a first-in-first-out basis, adjust an output timing for the stored data in accordance with the group and the type of the data, and attach an identifier to the data output from the plurality of data storage sections in accordance with the group and the type of the data. |
| US09231881B2 |
Transparent middlebox with graceful connection entry and exit
Middlebox systems that can enter a connection include a monitoring module to monitor information in a connection between a client and a server, a processor to determine that the connection is idle, a table configured to create a first entry for the client and a second entry for the server, where the entries are initialized using information gathered by the monitoring module, and a control module to redirect the connection between the client and server to the middlebox. Middlebox systems that can exit a connection include a processor to determine a mismatch between sequence numbers in a first connection to a client device and in a second connection to a server device. A network control module delays acknowledgment signals from the middlebox on a connection to decrease the degree of mismatch and establishes a direct connection between the client device and the server device when mismatch is zero. |
| US09231879B1 |
Methods for policy-based network traffic queue management and devices thereof
A method, computer readable medium, and network traffic management apparatus includes determining whether at least one existing request should be removed from a request queue. At least one existing request stored in the request queue is identified by applying one or more queue management rules. The identified existing request is removed from the request queue and the current request is added to the request queue when it is determined that at least one existing request should be removed from the request queue. |
| US09231877B2 |
Method and apparatus for scaling traffic engineering routing in a network
A method for scaling traffic engineering, TE, routing in a network, having a plurality of network elements (nodes) connected in a given layer to each other via links TE domain segments of a TE domain of said network are collapsed into a virtual TE nodes (VNs). Each VN having an allocated DE domain unique identifier and a detailed connectivity matrix, DCM, to provide a hierarchically virtualized network topology of the network. |
| US09231868B2 |
Communication system, communication device, controller, and method and program for controlling forwarding path of packet flow
In a network device to be used for a packet handling, the network device includes a first unit to communicate with a controller according to a first protocol, and to receive a packet handling rule from the controller which is capable of sending the packet handling rule to a plurality of the network devices via a network between the controller and the network device. A second unit classifies, based on a classification rule for classifying a received packet, whether to handle the packet according to the packet handling rule sent from the controller or to handle the packet according to a table entry that the network device autonomously set based on a second protocol. A third unit requests the packet handling rule to the controller when the packet handling rule for forwarding the received packet is not set in the network device. |
| US09231867B2 |
Differentiated handling of data traffic with adaptation of network address lookup
Differentiated Handling of Data Traffic with Adaptation of Network Address Lookup In a method of differentiated handling of data traffic, the data traffic is related to a network resource and is preceded by a lookup procedure for obtaining a network address of the network resource. A message of the lookup procedure is processed for adapting the lookup procedure. Due to the adaptation, the lookup procedure returns a network address of a replacement network resource. The replacement network resource is capable of replacing the network resource in communication of data packets of the data traffic. On the basis of the network address of the replacement network resource, differentiated handling of the data packets in said communication with the replacement network resource is accomplished. |
| US09231865B2 |
Lookup engine with reconfigurable low latency computational tiles
An architecture for a specialized electronic computer for high-speed data lookup employs a set of tiles each with independent logic elements lookup memory portions. The tiles may each comprise gate-array-like functional units that may be wired together by a multi-way switch for extremely low latency. |
| US09231864B2 |
Techniques for packet management in an input/output virtualization system
Techniques for managing packets in an input/output virtualization (IOV) capable computing environment are described herein. One aspect comprises receiving, at one or more transceivers comprising an input/output capable adapter, a packet addressed to an input/output virtualization capable adapter destination, and forwarding the packet to a virtual router; applying, by a processor circuit coupled to the one or more transceivers, one or more packet management policies to the packet via the virtual router; routing the packet via the virtual router to the input/output virtualization capable adapter destination; and transmitting the packet to the input/output virtualization capable adapter destination via an input/output virtualization capable adapter architecture. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09231863B2 |
Systems and methods for a data center architecture facilitating layer 2 over layer 3 communication
An information handling system is provided. The information handling system includes a plurality of core devices coupled to each other and to a plurality of distribution devices and a plurality of top-of-rack devices coupled to a plurality of servers and to the distribution devices. The plurality of servers are running hypervisors thereon that each manage a virtual switch and a plurality of virtual machines (VMs). The information handling system further includes a plurality of local network address resolution mediators, with each local network address resolution mediator running on one of the plurality of servers and receiving packets from VMs running thereon, and a global network address resolution mediator running on one of the plurality of core devices. The global network address resolution mediator is in communication with each of the plurality of local network address resolution mediators to collect and distribute packets from the plurality of VMs. |
| US09231856B2 |
Method for detecting message loop, routing agent apparatus and networking system
A method for detecting a message loop, a routing agent apparatus, and a networking system. The method for detecting a message loop includes: receiving a request message sent by a network element apparatus; acquiring routing information for sending the request message to a server apparatus; detecting whether a next-hop link for sending the request message in the routing information and a link for receiving the request message belong to a same link set; and sending a response to the network element apparatus that a message loop is detected, when it is detected that the link for sending the request message in the routing information and the link for receiving the request message belong to a same link set. The technical solutions disclosed herein can improve the efficiency of detecting the message loop and thus have strong practicability. |
| US09231854B2 |
Information processing device and image forming apparatus
An information processing device according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: a multi-core processor including plural cores; a virtual network connecting the plural cores to each other; a network interface; a router function unit configured, in a core of the plural cores, to act as a router between the virtual network and a local network to which the network interface is connected; and a forward processing unit configured, in the core that the router function unit exists, to forward either a multicast packet or a broadcast packet on the virtual network to the local network. |
| US09231853B2 |
Load balancing
A method and network device for managing a multi-homed network are provided. The method comprises receiving a request from a client within a client computer network directed to a remote server computer within a remote computer network, wherein the client and the remote server computer are connected through a plurality of data routes, each of the plurality of data routes is connected to a router; selecting a data route from the plurality of data routes to route the received request, wherein the selection of the data route is based on a decision function; translating a source IP address of the client to an IP address corresponding to the selected data route; and routing the received request from the client to the remote server computer over the selected data route. |
| US09231852B2 |
Greening the network with the power consumption statuses of network components
In an embodiment, the disclosure includes an apparatus comprising a data store which comprises cost data associated with use of a path in a communications network. The data store also comprises power consumption data associated with the use of the path. The apparatus further comprises at least one processor configured to determine a score for the path based on the cost data and the power consumption data. The disclosure also includes an apparatus comprising a path computation element (PCE) configured to receive data from a plurality of network elements (NEs). The data comprises cost and power consumption data for establishing a path between a plurality of the NEs. The PCE is configured to determine a score for the path based on the cost and power consumption data. |
| US09231847B2 |
Apparatus and method for processing packet for routing and verifying path in domains
Disclosed are an apparatus and method for processing a packet for routing and verifying a path in a domain. The apparatus for processing the packet includes an authentication processing unit configured to authenticate a transmission path of a packet in a corresponding node inside a domain; and a transmission processing unit configured to verify whether or not authentication has been performed such that a reception packet passes through the corresponding node and whether or not the packet has passed through an immediately previous node that is passed through along the transmission path and transmit the packet. |
| US09231845B1 |
Identifying a device associated with a person who does not satisfy a threshold age
A system is provided that identifies a device associated with a person who does not satisfy a threshold age. The system scans the digital media content of a content data store associated with the device and estimates an age threshold value of the files of the digital media content. Based on the estimated age threshold value of the files, the system determines that the device is used by a person who does not satisfy a threshold age and applies one or more content rules to a presentation of the digital media content. The content rules cause an alteration of the presentation of the digital media content. |
| US09231840B2 |
Optimizing the quality of audio within a teleconferencing session via an adaptive codec switching
A Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) session between computing devices can be identified. Each computing device can be associated with a communication link. Each of the computing devices can execute a VoIP application. Each application can include selectable codecs. The codecs can be an audio codec and a video codec. A unique list of the selectable codecs can be generated. The list can include sublists which can identify the codecs. A loss threshold with each sublist based on previously determined performance characteristics of the codecs can be associated. The threshold can be a packet loss threshold value of the link associated with the devices. A packet loss metric of the link can be evaluated. The link can be associated with a codec of the sublists. A programmatic action can be performed to select a different codec from the sublists responsive to the evaluating. |
| US09231836B2 |
Robust channel estimation of OFDM systems
A system and method for estimating a channel in wireless communication systems using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM). From the received OFDM symbols, Maximum Likelihood (ML) estimate of the channel frequency response is obtained at the pilot locations. A hypothesis test is performed on the ML estimates and the outcome of the hypothesis test is used to decide a shrinkage target. Biased estimation methods are used to shrink the ML estimates towards the shrinkage target to obtain better estimates of the channel frequency response at the pilot locations and these estimates are interpolated using a Filter to get a set of complete estimates of the channel over the resource block. The Filter is an Empirical Weiner Filter or a robust 2D-MMSE filter and the biased estimation is done using either a James-Stein (JS) estimator or a shrinkage estimator or an empirical Bayes estimator. |
| US09231831B2 |
Method and network system of converting a layer two network from a spanning tree protocol mode to a routed mesh mode without a spanning tree protocol
A method of converting a routing mode of a network is provided, wherein a plurality of first routes connected a central controller to a plurality of nodes are established in the network through a spanning tree protocol and a plurality of second routes between the nodes in the network through the spanning tree protocol. The method includes enabling a firewall of each of the nodes to block the second routes; disabling a spanning tree protocol function of each of the nodes; populating a forwarding table of each of the nodes with a plurality of predetermined routing paths; and flushing the firewall of each of the nodes, wherein a plurality of third routes between the central controller and the plurality of nodes are established according to the predetermined routing paths without the spanning tree protocol, after the firewall of each of the nodes is flushed. |
| US09231828B2 |
Hierarchical rate color marker
One embodiment provides a system that facilitates bandwidth-profile enforcement. During operation, the system indicates a packet's compliance with a bandwidth profile based at least on available high-compliance tokens and medium-compliance tokens. The system further accounts for overflow tokens from a respective class of service (CoS) and distribute an overflow token to another CoS priority level based on the overflow token's CoS information. |
| US09231825B2 |
Network management apparatus, management server, client terminal, and control method thereof
Configuration information representing the configuration elements of a client PC or the like on a network is compared with initial configuration information. When the configuration information changes, it is determined whether the configuration is proper. If the configuration is improper, the function of a corresponding configuration element to the network is inhibited. This can prevent an unstable state of the system, leakage of information, and a decrease in reliability of the network system upon a change in network configuration. |
| US09231824B2 |
Configuration synchronization between electronic gaming machines and a supporting server
An illustrative method manages configuration information of electronic gaming machines (EGMs) and maintains server configuration information at a server that supports EGMs in a server-client relationship. The server configuration information contains stored information about the configuration of each EGM. EGM configuration information transmitted from the EMGs is received at the server. The server and EGM configuration information each contains corresponding fields with values representing information about predetermined factors. The values in the fields of the server configuration information are compared with the values in corresponding fields of the EGM configuration information. A report is generated based on the comparison. |
| US09231823B2 |
Method and system for detecting failures of network nodes
Systems and methods for detecting device failures in a network having nodes coupled to a central controller, in which a first of the nodes communicates with the central controller via a second of the nodes. When the second node determines that the first node has not transmitted a predetermined number of messages over a predefined number of time periods, the second node provides a failure alert to the central controller. The central controller records a failure alert received from the second node in a log. Based on a set of failure alerts received from a number of nodes recorded in the log, the central controller determines whether the first node has failed. |
| US09231822B2 |
Notifying of a LSP failure
According to an example, in a method and apparatus for notifying a LSP, the downstream LSR detecting the link failure on the work LSP sends a SF message on the direction of the work LSP, so that the upstream LSR detecting the link failure on the work LSP receives the SF message and sends the packet via the protection LSP according to the SF message. |
| US09231819B2 |
Abstracting restful web service HTTP between a client and a server
A computer system identifies metadata components that are associated with uniform resource identifiers (URIs) in service description language metadata for a RESTful (Representational State Transfer) web service The computer system identifies a programming language for a template pertaining to a method of a software development kit (SDK) client. The computer system creates the template. The template includes programming code placeholders for the metadata components based on the identified programming language. |
| US09231818B2 |
Functionality management via application modification
Methods, systems, apparatuses, and/or computer-readable media for providing device management via application modification may be provided. In some embodiments, upon receiving a request to perform an action associated with an application, a determination as to whether performing the action will utilize a metered resource may be made. If so, a further determination may be made as to whether the request complies with at least one cost compliance policy and, in response to determining that the request complies with the at least one cost compliance policy, the action may be caused and/or authorize to be performed. |
| US09231811B2 |
Receiver device, transmit/receive terminal, propagation delay time measurement method and computer program
A receiver device is provided with: channel estimation unit which obtains channel estimation values for a frequency domain on the basis of pilot symbols disposed in an OFDM subcarrier; interpolation unit which performs interpolation so that the number of samples of channel estimation values obtained by the channel estimation unit is a power of 2; transformation unit which transforms the channel estimation values interpolated by the interpolation unit into a time domain to obtain a delay profile; and power peak position detection unit which detects a power peak position of the delay profile so as to obtain a propagation delay time. The power peak position detection unit references the signal power of the portion interpolated by the interpolation unit in order to detect a suitable power peak position in the delay profile. |
| US09231801B2 |
Adaptive non-linear interference cancellation for intermodulation distortion
A wireless communication device including two or more aggressor transmitters and a victim receiver that is adversely affected by intermodulation distortion (IMD) components associated with the signals transmitted by the two or more aggressor transmitters. Because the aggressor transmitters and the victim receiver are located on the same device, the transmit waveforms that contribute to the IMD components are known and available. More specifically, digital baseband samples used by the aggressor transmitters to generate the transmit waveforms are available. These digital baseband samples are used to reconstruct the IMD component on the wireless device. This reconstructed (estimated) IMD component is provided to the victim receiver, and is subtracted from a signal received by the victim receiver, thereby effectively removing the IMD component present in this received signal. An adaptive filter using a Volterra series can be used to estimate the IMD component in response to the transmitter digital baseband samples. |
| US09231796B2 |
Power aware equalization in a serial communications link
Power aware equalization in a serial communications link that includes a transmitter and a receiver, including: determining, by a power aware equalization module, a required signal eye width and a required signal eye height for signals received by the receiver; identifying one or more signal equalizers for signals transmitted over the serial communications link; identifying one or more cumulative equalizer settings that equalize signals transmitted over the serial communications link to conform with the required signal eye width and the required signal eye height for signals received by the receiver; determining power consumption values associated with each of the one or more cumulative equalizer settings; and setting the one or more signal equalizers to configuration settings in dependence upon the power consumption values associated with each of the one or more cumulative equalizer settings. |
| US09231794B2 |
Method and apparatus for multiple antenna communications, computer program product therefor
Embodiments of a method and an apparatus for detecting multiple complex-valued symbols belonging to discrete constellations. The method and apparatus is a detector that finds a closest vector, or a close approximation of it, to a received vector. The disclosure also gets (optimally, in case of two transmit sources) or closely approximates (for more than two transmit sources) the most likely sequences required for an optimal bit or symbol a-posteriori probability computation. Also part of the present disclosure is represented by Also embodiments of a method and an apparatus to determine a near-optimal ordering algorithms for the aforementioned purpose. The method and apparatus achieves optimal performance for two transmit antennas and achieves near-optimal performance for a higher number of antennas, with a lower complexity as compared to a maximum-likelihood detection method and apparatus. The method and apparatus are suitable for highly parallel hardware architectures. |
| US09231793B1 |
Full bridge decision feedback equalizer
A decision feedback equalizer (DFE) is provided. The DFE includes an analog front end, configured to receive a digital communication signal having amplitude modulation greater than two-level, and to output a feedforward signal based on the digital communication signal. The DFE includes a summing block, configured to receive the feedforward signal, a plurality of delayed data decisions as digital signals, and a plurality of adapted coefficients. The summing block is configured to produce an analog feedback signal as an analog subtraction from the feedforward signal of each of the plurality of delayed data decisions multiplied by a corresponding one of the plurality of adapted coefficients. The DFE includes a delay chain configured to produce the plurality of delayed data decisions based on the analog feedback signal, each of the plurality of delayed data decisions having two or more bits, corresponding to the amplitude modulation being greater than two-level. |
| US09231791B2 |
Differential transmission circuit
A differential transmission circuit comprises a sending unit that generates a pair of differential signals from an input signal, and sends the differential signals; a receiver that receives the differential signals sent by the sending unit; and a transmission path that transmits the differential signals from the sending unit to the receiver, wherein the sending unit has a selector that selects one of the input signal and a signal obtained by inverting a polarity of the input signal, and generates the differential signals from the signal selected by the selector. |
| US09231787B1 |
Method and apparatus with improved estimation accuracy and robustness for fine frequency offset estimation in coherent receivers
The present disclosure provides a method and system for fine estimation of a local oscillator frequency offset of a received signal at a coherent receiver, by evaluating the probability mass function (PMF) of the signal phase of output symbols at different frequencies. At frequencies other than the actual frequency offset, the signal phase is uniformly distributed in [−π,π] such that the summation of square of PMF (PMF sum-square) values is minimized. However at the actual frequency offset, the signal phase is no longer uniformly distributed over [−π,π]; in other words the signal phase will take some specific values in [−π,π], therefore a peak PMF sum-square value will result. This peak PMF value provides an indication of the actual offset frequency of the received signal. |
| US09231786B2 |
On the managed peer-to-peer sharing in cellular networks
A method, system and apparatus are provided for performing peer-to-peer (P2P) data sharing operations between user equipment (UE) devices in a wireless-enabled communications environment. A first client node comprises content data and operates in a server peer mode to provide content data. A second client node submits a request to a P2P application server (P2P AS) for the content data. In response, the P2P AS provides the address of the first client node to the second client node. The second client node then uses the provided address to submit a request to the first client node to provide the content data. The first client node accepts the request and then provides the content data to the second client node. |
| US09231783B2 |
Methods, apparatus and systems for traffic identification
Embodiments for enabling traffic content identification by a wireless transmit/receive unit are provided. The WTRU may store interface binding entries in a database associating links in a web page to various traffic content types, such as video, audio, and text. Upon a request to access one of the links, a socket may be created based on a data mobility policy associated with the traffic content type. Alternately, the database may associate the links directly to interface types based on the data mobility policies. The Access Network Discovery and Selection Function (ANDSF) may provide the data mobility policies to the WTRU. |
| US09231782B2 |
Communication support system, communication support method, and recording medium
A communication information registering unit (11) acquires communication information that contains a sender, a receiver, and a sending time of information communicated between users that are communicating, and stores the communication information in a storage unit (12). A response time calculation unit (13) finds response time of the users from the communication information. A threshold value setting unit (14) finds a threshold value for determining the statuses of the users from distribution of frequencies of the response time. A current status determination unit (15) determines the status of a counterpart user from the response time by using the threshold value. A notification unit (16) notifies a user of the current status of its counterpart user. |
| US09231776B2 |
System and method for MBMS support
A system and method handles a group session of a communication group. The method includes determining server association data and access network association data for each mobile unit in a communication group. The server association data indicates a first association with a Push-To-Talk (PTT) server. The access network association data indicates a second association with an operating area respective to the PTT servers. The method includes determining a first MU of the MUs in the communication group being associated with a first PTT server and associated with a MBMS operating area of a second PTT server, the first PTT server controlling the group session. When none of the MUs participating in the group session is associated with the second PTT server, the method includes inviting the second PTT server to join the group session of the communication group. |
| US09231773B2 |
Handling time information in communications systems
A method of handling time information in a communications system (100) comprising: receiving a message at a proxy entity such as a P-CSCF (110, 112, 114) in an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) core network (108); determining a time zone offset between a local time of a terminal and a core network time; providing the time zone offset to a network element (116) in the core network; and generating a time stamp in the network element adjusted to correspond to the local time. |
| US09231772B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing a user with charging-related voice service
The present invention provides a ubiquitous solution for providing charge-related voice service such as voice announcement and interactive voice response in an IP multimedia subsystem. In particularly, an online charging system (10) detects the subscriber account profile of a user terminal (51) to determine whether there is an event for providing an end user with voice announcement or interactive voice response (S203). If there is such voice announcement event or interactive voice response event, the online charging system (10) will enter “redirection state” and send an instruction (S204) to an online charging client (20) for instructing the online charging client (20) to redirect the user terminal to a first server (30) for providing voice announcement or interactive voice response such that the first server (30) provides the user terminal (51) with voice announcement or interactive voice response. The online charging client (20) may comprise network gateway, session initiation protocol application server or media resource function controller, etc. |
| US09231769B1 |
Systems and methods for providing interfaces for creating transport layer security certificates
A computer-implemented method for providing interfaces for creating transport layer security certificates may include (1) displaying a user interface for configuring a proposed digital certificate for use in a transport layer security protocol, (2) receiving user input via the user interface that specifies a certificate configuration feature for the proposed digital certificate, (3) assessing a projected impact of the certificate configuration feature on a security metric of the proposed digital certificate, and (4) presenting the projected impact of the certification configuration feature on the security metric via the user interface. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US09231763B2 |
System and method for providing a multi-credential authentication protocol
A system and method for providing secure communications between remote computing devices and servers. A network device sends characteristics of a client computing device over the network. A network device receives characteristics of a client computing device over the network. A plurality of credentials are generated where at least one of the plurality of credentials based on both the received characteristics of the client computing device and a unique client key, and at least one of the plurality of credentials based on both the received characteristics of the client computing device and a generic key. A network device sends the plurality of credentials over the network. A network device receives the plurality of credentials via the network. |
| US09231762B2 |
Method of secure communication, controlled device, and control program
A controlled device generates an authentication random number. A control device accepts input of a random number from an input device. The controlled device verifies if the displayed authentication random number and the random number transferred from the control device are identical to transfer a public key of the controlled device to the control device. The controlled device generates a token. The control device encrypts the token with the public key of the controlled device. The controlled device decrypts the token and verifies if the token transferred from the control device and the generated token are identical to generate a session key. The control device stores the session key into the storage device. The control device controlling the controlled device by encrypted communication using the session key. |
| US09231761B2 |
System and method for efficient support for short cryptoperiods in template mode
System and method embodiments are provided herein for efficient representation and use of initialization vectors (IVs) for encrypted segments using template mode representation in Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over Hypertext Transfer Protocol (DASH). An embodiment method includes sending in a media presentation description (MPD), from a network server to a client, a template for generating a universal resource locator (URL) to obtain an IV that is used for encrypting a segment, in absence of an IV value in the MPD, receiving from the client a URL configured according to the template, and upon receiving the URL, returning an IV corresponding to the URL to the client. Another embodiment method includes receiving in a MPD, at a client from a network server, a template for generating a URL to obtain an IV that is used for encrypting a segment, upon detecting an absence of an IV value or IV base value in the MPD, configuring a URL for the IV using the template, sending the URL for the IV, and receiving an IV. |
| US09231759B2 |
Internet key exchange protocol using security associations
The invention relates to a method of authenticating a user equipment in a communications network. The method involves sending a message from a network entity to the user equipment. This message includes a set of options for an authentication procedure for authenticating an internet protocol communication over a first interface between the user equipment and the network entity; said options including a “shared key”-based authentication procedure. The method also involves selecting an option from the set. In the event that the “shared-key”-based authentication procedure is selected, a shared secret from a security key established in a generic bootstrapping architecture (GBA) is generated over a second interface between the user equipment and a bootstrapping service function. The shared secret is then used to compute and verify authentication payloads in the key-based authentication procedure for the communication over the first interface. |
| US09231747B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting wireless frame, and communication network element
It is disclosed a method for transmitting wireless frame, including: the wireless frame is transmitted by using any access category. The wireless frame is a beginning frame for performing channel information measurement. It is further disclosed an apparatus for transmitting wireless frame, including: a selection unit and a transmitting unit, where the selection unit is configured to select any access category for a beginning frame for performing the channel information measurement; and the transmitting unit is configured to transmit the beginning frame. It is further disclosed a communication network element provided with the apparatus for transmitting wireless frame mentioned above. It is ensured that the wireless frames subsequent to the frame exchange sequence for performing the channel information measurement may be smoothly transmitted, and the channel information measurement may be smoothly performed, and thereby transmitting communication data based on the acquired channel information. The support of each communication network elements to the MIMO and beam forming is further ensured, and an effective supplement to the existing protocols is provided. |
| US09231737B1 |
Method and apparatus for remotely increasing available processing time at a wireless device while maintaining response delay time
A first wireless device includes a coding module that encodes packets and adds dummy data to a second packet. A first receiver (i) in response to transmission of a first packet, receives a first acknowledgement (ACK) signal, and (ii) in response to transmission of the second packet, receives a second ACK signal. Reception of the first ACK signal is delayed a first delay period from an end of the transmission of the first packet. Reception of the second ACK signal is delayed a second delay period from an end of the transmission of the dummy data. The coding module, prior to the transmission of the second packet and based on time to process the first and second packets at a second wireless device, determines the amount of dummy data to add to the second packet such that the first delay period is a same length as the second delay period. |
| US09231736B2 |
Optimizing response interframe space in communication systems
A response interframe space (RIFS) time period may be adapted in a communication system. The RIFS time period may be determined based, at least in part, on a processing time used by a receiving device to process a received physical layer transmission from a transmitting device. The RIFS may be optimized in consideration of channel conditions for a particular communications channel, capabilities of a receiving device, and/or characteristics of a particular physical layer transmission. For example, the RIFS may be dependent on characteristics of a final transmission symbol used to transmit a physical layer transmission. The RIFS may depend on a processing time associated with decoding forward error correction (FEC) encoded blocks that end in the final transmission symbol. The RIFS may depend on a quantity of decoding iterations in a communication system that uses iterative decoding of FEC encoded blocks. |
| US09231733B2 |
Method and system for updating multi-frequency-band pre-distortion coefficient lookup table
Disclosed are a method and a system for updating a multi-frequency band pre-distortion coefficient lookup table, in order to solve the problems that the calculation complexity is high. Wherein, the method comprises: collecting a first frequency band reference signal and a first frequency band feedback signal, a second frequency band reference signal and a second frequency band feedback signal; calculating a first frequency band pre-distortion coefficient and a second frequency band pre-distortion coefficient; performing phase calibration on the first frequency band pre-distortion coefficient and the second frequency band pre-distortion coefficient, respectively; and updating a first lookup table according to the first frequency band pre-distortion coefficient performed the phase calibration, and updating a second lookup table according to the second frequency band pre-distortion coefficient performed the phase calibration. |
| US09231729B2 |
Resource allocation in PON networks via wave-front multiplexing and de-multiplexing
A data communication system comprises a wave-front multiplexer configured to wave-front multiplex first electronic signals into second electronic signals. An electronic-to-optical converter is configured to convert a third electronic signal carrying information associated with the second electronic signals into a first optical signal. An optical transferring module is configured to split the first optical signal into second optical signals, wherein each of the second optical signals carries the same data as the first optical signal carries. Optical-to-electronic converters are configured to convert the second optical signals into fourth electronic signals. Wave-front demultiplexers each are configured to wave-front demultiplex the fourth electronic signals into fifth electronic signals equivalent to the first electronic signals respectively. |
| US09231728B2 |
Optical module and optical transmitter
An optical module includes a waveguide substrate having an optical waveguide and electrodes that apply electronic signals to the optical waveguide; a relay substrate disposed adjacently to the waveguide substrate; and a termination substrate disposed sandwiching the waveguide substrate with the relay substrate. The electrodes respectively have a first wiring portion connected from the relay substrate through the waveguide substrate to the termination substrate and a second wiring portion extending from the first wiring portion and branching on the termination substrate. In the second wiring portion, one branched wiring portion has a capacitor and a termination resistor, and another branched wiring portion extends through a bias resistor to a DC electrode on the relay substrate. The second wiring portion is divided into a first group extending in a first direction along the optical waveguide and a second group extending in a direction opposite to the first direction. |
| US09231723B2 |
Coordinated dynamic point selection (DPS) with cell range expansion in a coordinated multipoint (CoMP) system
Technology for mitigating edge effect interference in a Coordinated MultiPoint (CoMP) system having multiple CoMP clusters is disclosed. In an example, a method can include a macro node transmitting a cell range expansion request to user equipments (UEs) within a cell. A CoMP cluster for nodes within the cell that includes UEs operating with the cell range expansion can be generated. Blanked resources between a plurality of macro nodes for the CoMP clusters in the CoMP system can be coordinated using a muting preference including a blanked resource. |
| US09231722B2 |
Multi-port channelized optical line terminal
A method and system for channelizing a Passive Optical Network (PON) Media Access Controller (MAC) includes increasing a clock rate of each of one or more PON MAC(s) to create communication lanes each comprising a plurality of N channels. The PONs are channelized according to NX, where N equals a number of ports supported by the MAC and X equals a designated operating PON MAC clocking rate allowing for leveraging of existing Passive Optical Network (PON) infrastructures to provide a more power efficient and physically smaller MAC layer for OLTs. |
| US09231720B2 |
Interface circuit for transmitting and receiving digital signals between devices
A video signal and an audio signal are TMDS transmitted from a source device to a sink device. Through a reserved line and a HPD line provided separately from a TMDS transmission line, an Ethernet™ signal is bidirectionally transmitted, and also, a SPDIF signal is transmitted from the sink device to the source device. The Ethernet™ signal bidirectionally transmitted between Ethernet™ transmitter/receiver circuits is differentially transmitted by an amplifier and is received by the amplifier. The SPDIF signal from a SPDIF transmitter circuit is common-mode transmitted from an adder and is received by the adder to be supplied to the SPDIF receiver circuit. |
| US09231719B2 |
Method and apparatus for multiplexed time aligned analog input sampling
A sensor system includes a first sensor and a second sensor and a multiplexor having at least two multiplexer inputs connected to the sensors. The output of the multiplexor is connected to a time correlation logic circuit via at least a signal conditioning and anti-aliasing filter, and the output of the time correlation logic is a time correlated sensor reading of the first and second sensor. |
| US09231718B2 |
Use of television satellite signals to determine location
Various arrangements are directed to locating a television receiver. Multiple tuners of the television receiver may be simultaneously tuned to different television distribution satellites to receive timing signals. Using these timing signals, the location of the television receiver may be determined Based on a comparison between a stored, expected location of the television receiver and the determined location, the functionality of the television receiver may be adjusted. |
| US09231714B2 |
Methods for calibrating a transmitter, and radio transmitter
In an embodiment, a radio transmitter may be provided. The radio transmitter may include a radio transmitter control loop; and a controller configured in such a way that it operates the radio transmitter control loop as a closed control loop in a first operating mode, and that it operates the radio transmitter control loop as an open control loop in a second operating mode. |
| US09231712B2 |
Methods and systems for noise and interference cancellation
Signals propagating from an aggressor communication channel can cause detrimental interference in a victim communication channel. One or more noise cancellers can generate an interference compensation signal to suppress or cancel the interference based on one or more settings. A controller can execute algorithms to find preferred settings for the noise canceller(s). The controller can use a feedback signal (e.g., receive signal quality indicator) received from a victim receiver during the execution of the algorithm(s) to find the preferred settings. One exemplary algorithm includes sequentially evaluating the feedback resulting from a predetermined list of settings. Another algorithm includes determining whether to move from one setting to the next based on the feedback values for both settings. Yet another algorithm includes evaluating a number of sample settings to determine which of the sample settings result in a better feedback value and searching around that sample setting for a preferred setting. |
| US09231708B2 |
Optical communication systems and methods
A system and method to broadcast an optical signal through an amorphous medium, including a primary emitter capable of producing a primary optical signal during at least one broadcast period and capable of transmitting the primary optical signal through the amorphous medium. A secondary emitter, separate from the primary emitter and in operation during at least a portion of the broadcast period, produces a secondary emission detectable by a detector during the broadcast period. A signal entrainment controller, in communication with the primary emitter and the secondary emitter, synchronizes the secondary emitter with the primary emitter to generate a resultant signal of higher intensity than the primary signal by itself. |
| US09231706B2 |
Drive circuit, optical transmission apparatus, driving method, and optical transmission method
A drive circuit includes a duty cycle adjusting circuit that changes the duty cycle of a first signal; and a calculating circuit that with respect to signals that include the first signal for which the duty cycle has been adjusted and a second signal having a phase and amplitude that differ from that of the first signal, performs any one of subtracting one of the signals from the other signal and adding the signals. |
| US09231705B1 |
Communication system with QAM modulation
A data communications network in which a first information-containing radio frequency signal input is applied to a modulation circuit for modulating a carrier wave with the signal input, and a second information-containing radio frequency signal is applied to at the modulation circuit for modulating least one of the constellation points of the first modulation. |
| US09231703B2 |
Optical node configuration apparatus
A segmented optical node exploits a configuration module having arrayed all elements to go from a 1×4 to a 4×4 configuration, save optional redundant switches. A jumper board in the 1×, 2× path configures the node for 1×4 in one orientation and for 2×4 when flipped around 180 degrees. The 4×4 configuration is achieved by rotating the configuration module 90 degrees. In this orientation power to the module is also off, since the 4× configuration is passive. |
| US09231702B2 |
Optical MIMO processing
A technique is provided for an optical multiple input multiple output (MIMO) processing system. The optical (MIMO) processing system includes an interface to a multi-mode fiber at a first end of the optical processing system; M first single-mode waveguides coupled to the interface; wherein the first waveguides are arranged to carry M first optical signals, respectively; N second single-mode waveguides at a second end of the optical processing system, wherein the second waveguides are arranged to carry N second optical signals, respectively, wherein the N second optical signals are associated with N modes carried by the multi-mode fiber; and an optical processing core arranged to transform the first optical signals into the second optical signals such that a correlation between the second optical signals is decreased compared to a correlation between the first optical signals using a plurality of optical couplers for coupling each of the M first optical signals with one another, such that each of the N second optical signals is a linear combination of all of the M first optical signals. |
| US09231697B2 |
Transmission protocol controller
A free-space optical (FSO) transceiver can include a transmission protocol configured to encapsulate outgoing network packets in by employing a reliable ordered protocol that relies on retransmission of lost data to form outgoing encapsulated packets. The transmission protocol controller can be configured to employ a congestion algorithm that optimizes throughput over a lossy link. The FSO transceiver can also include a transmitter configured to provide an output optical signal corresponding to the outgoing encapsulated packets over an FSO link. |
| US09231696B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for supervision of optical networks
Methods and apparatuses for enabling supervision of fibers in an optical communication network, where a Central Office provides data signals to a Remote Node for distribution to Optical Network Terminals (ONTs). The Central Office generates and sends test signals of different monitoring wavelengths associated to predefined groups of said ONTs, to the Remote Node. The Remote Node routes each test signal to a corresponding associated group of ONTs according to the wavelength of the test signal. When receiving a back-scattered and back-reflected test signal caused by a faulty optical fiber, the Central Office is able to identify the faulty optical fiber based on the wavelength of the back-scattered and back-reflected signal. |
| US09231695B2 |
Optical transmission device and optical transmission method
An optical transmission device includes: a switching configured to be capable of switching a transmission path to which light is input from a first transmission path to a second transmission path; a first calculation unit configured to calculate, based on a difference between a first light level of the first transmission path and a second light level of the second transmission path, a first control amount for the second light level; and a control unit configured to perform a first control in which the second light level is decreased or increased based on the first control amount upon switching of the transmission path. |
| US09231677B2 |
Sparse codes for MIMO channel and detector alternatives for sparse code
Embodiments are disclosed for improved systems and methods for encoding and decoding information transmitted using multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) communication devices. Structurally sparse codes are implemented based on principles of compressive sampling. Improved detectors are also disclosed for implementing basis pursuit and basis pursuit with runner-up detection techniques. |
| US09231676B2 |
Low effort massive MIMO antenna arrays and their use
An apparatus includes a number of first RF chains configured to be able to be coupled to a plurality of first antennas from an antenna array and a number of second RF chains configured to be able to be coupled to a plurality of second antennas from the antenna array. The first and second antennas are different. The first and second RF chains are configured to create RF signals from baseband signals. The first RF chains have a certain functionality, and the second RF chains have a reduced functionality relative to the certain functionality. The apparatus may include the antenna array. The first and second antennas may have the same or different characteristics. A base station may include the apparatus. Sets of antennas for the second RF chains may be use to create signals used for over-the-air signal combining at a receiver. Methods and program products are also described. |
| US09231666B2 |
Enabling coordinated multi-point reception
This invention measures the propagation delay τ1 between the user equipment and a first cooperating unit and the propagation delay τ2 between the user equipment and a second cooperating unit. These propagation delays are used to compute a timing advance amount to the user equipment to enable coordinated multi-point reception. In a first embodiment one cooperating unit receives a function of the propagation delay, computes the timing advance amount and transmits a timing advance command to the user equipment. In a second embodiment a central unit performs these operations. |
| US09231662B2 |
Secure communications via NFC device
A system, method, and apparatus for negotiating a communication link between first and second near field communication (NFC) devices is disclosed. A third NFC device is placed in close proximity with a first host device operatively containing the first NFC device to determine communication information including at least one of a communication mechanism and a data transfer protocol usable by the first host device. The communication information usable by the first host device is stored in a portable device operatively containing the third NFC device. The third NFC device is momentarily placed in close proximity with the second NFC device. The stored communication information of the first host device is transferred from the portable device to a second host device operatively containing the second NFC device. A communication link is established between the first and second host devices to enable the first and second host devices to transfer data between them as a function of the determined communication information. |
| US09231658B2 |
Coexistence primitives in power line communication networks
Systems and methods for setting a Network Allocation Vector (NAV) in a PLC node are disclosed. In a PLC standard, coexistence is achieved by having the nodes detect a common preamble and backing off by a Coexistence InterFrame Space (cEIFS) time period to help the node to avoid interfering with the other technologies. In one embodiment, a PHY primitive is sent from the PHY to the MAC know that there has been a preamble detection. A two-level indication may be used—one indication after receiving the preamble and other indication after decoding the entire frame. The MAC sets NAV to EIFS if a native preamble is detected. The MAC sets NAV to cEIFS if only a coexistence preamble is detected or if a non-native preamble is detected. |
| US09231657B2 |
Adaptive sub-band algorithm for point-to-point communication in PLC networks
Embodiments of methods and systems for adaptive sub-band point-to-point communication are presented. In one embodiment a method includes performing functions using a power line communication (PLC) transmitter device. The method may include generating a first data packet having a first adaptive sub-band information set, the first sub-band information set comprising information to be used by a PLC receiver for determining a sub-band hopping pattern. The method may also include transmitting the first data packet on a first PLC sub-band. Additionally, the method may include hopping to a second PLC sub-band, and generating a second data packet having a second adaptive sub-band information set, the second sub-band information set comprising information to be used by the PLC receiver for determine the sub-band hopping pattern. The method may further include transmitting the second data packet on the second PLC sub-band. |
| US09231655B2 |
System and method for power control in a physical layer device
A system and method for power control in a physical layer device. Energy savings during an active state can be produced through the monitoring of a received signal level by a receiver in a physical layer device. In one embodiment, based on an indication of the received signal level or other communication characteristic of the transmission medium, a control module can adjust the signal level or amplitude and/or adjust the voltage supply. |
| US09231648B2 |
Methods and apparatus for frequency offset estimation and correction prior to preamble detection of direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) signals
Methods and apparatus for frequency offset estimation and correction prior to preamble detection of DSSS signals. An integrated circuit is disclosed including a receiver circuit having an input coupled to receive a DSSS signal, the receiver circuit configured to sample the DSSS signal and to output a sequence of digital samples; carrier frequency offset estimation logic configured to perform a carrier frequency offset estimation on the digital samples; carrier frequency correction logic configured to correct the carrier frequency of the sequence of digital samples using the carrier frequency offset estimation and to output a sequence of corrected digital samples; offset quadrature phase shift keying (O-QPSK) demodulation logic configured to perform demodulation on the corrected digital samples and further configured to output symbols corresponding to the corrected digital samples; and preamble identification configured to identify and detect a preamble sequence in the symbols. Additional methods and apparatus are disclosed. |
| US09231646B1 |
Single signal transmit/receive module amplifier switching control
A method for single signal transmit/receive module amplifier switching control is disclosed. Step (A) of the method may receive a control signal through a single pin of a circuit. The control signal may alternately conveys (i) a receive mode and (ii) a transmit mode. Step (B) may generate a transmit signal in a disabled state in response to the control signal transitioning from the transmit mode to the receive mode. The transmit signal in the disabled state is generally configured to disable a transmit amplifier. Step (C) may generate a receive signal in an enabled state a receive delay time after the control signal transitions from the transmit mode to the receive mode. The receive signal in the enabled state is generally configured to enable a receive amplifier. The receive delay time may allow the transmit amplifier to switch off before the receive amplifier switches on. |
| US09231642B2 |
Radio frequency splitter
A multichannel splitter formed from 1 to 2 splitters. An input terminal of a first 1 to 2 splitter defines an input of the multichannel splitter. The 1 to 2 splitters are electrically series-connected. First respective outputs of the 1 to 2 splitters define output terminals of the multichannel splitter. |
| US09231641B2 |
Temperature monitoring cable
A portable communication system (100) comprises a portable radio (102) and a radio accessory (106) coupled through an interface cable (108). The interface cable (108) provides an electronic interface for remote access to radio functions at the radio accessory (106). The interface cable (108) further provides a temperature sensor (110) integrated therein for monitoring environmental conditions external to the portable communication system. The portable communication system (100) generates user notifications indicating extreme temperature conditions. Notifications of extreme temperature conditions may also transmitted from the portable communication system (100) to other radios, such as a land mobile radio (120), dispatch center (130), or other radio (140) operating within a communications network. |
| US09231639B2 |
High frequency transceiver
There is provided a high frequency transceiver appropriate for ultra low power and high frequency characteristics. The high frequency transmitting device includes a voltage controlled oscillator configured to provide an oscillation signal; and a power amplifier configured to multiply the oscillation signal by an integer to generate a carrier signal, mix the carrier signal and a baseband signal to generate a mixed signal, and amplify power of the mixed signal. |
| US09231636B2 |
Display apparatus and method of controlling the same
A display apparatus and a method of controlling the same are disclosed. The method of controlling a display apparatus includes: displaying an interface for setting up a remote controller that controls an external device connected to at least one input terminal of the display apparatus; receiving a selection of a user for setting up the remote controller through the user interface; and transmitting remote controller code information corresponding to the external device to the remote controller in accordance with the selection. |
| US09231634B2 |
Compensation apparatus and wireless communication equipment
A compensation apparatus is provided which performs a compensation process of removing an image component in a quadrature-demodulated signal. The compensation apparatus includes a quadrature demodulation compensation section that compensates for the quadrature-demodulated signal including an I signal and a Q signal. The quadrature demodulation compensation section is configured to perform a compensation process of compensating for a characteristic difference between the frequency characteristic of a first filter that performs filtering of the I signal and the frequency characteristic of a second filter that performs filtering of the Q signal. |
| US09231631B1 |
Circuits and methods for adjusting the voltage swing of a signal
A driver circuit includes unit slice circuits that generate an output data signal based on an input data signal. The driver circuit reduces a voltage swing of the output data signal without changing a termination resistance of the driver circuit in response to decreasing a number of the unit slice circuits that generate the output data signal based on the input data signal. |
| US09231629B2 |
Ultra low power super-regenerative receiver and method thereof
An ultra low power super-regenerative receiver is provided. The ultra low power super-regenerative receiver includes a bit synchronizer configured to use a value sampled from a signal output from a super-regenerative oscillator to estimate a pulse-level position having a maximum amplitude value in a single period of a received symbol, a frame synchronizer configured to combine a plurality of pulse-level positions determined based on the estimated pulse-level position, and detect a predetermined bit sequence using the plurality of pulse-level positions combined, the frame synchronizer being configured to perform frame synchronization, and a data detector configured to detect data using the plurality of pulse-level positions determined after the frame synchronization is completed. |
| US09231624B2 |
Time alignment for an amplification stage
A method of calibrating a polar amplification stage including a main signal path and a magnitude signal path, the method comprising: generating signals (108, 142) for the main signal path and the magnitude signal path for operating an amplifier (102) between a linear mode of operation and a saturated mode of operation; detecting (114) first and second peaks in a signal at the output of the amplifier (102) representing transitions between the linear and saturated modes of operation; and adjusting (124) the timing in one of the main signal path and the amplitude signal path in dependence on a relative difference between the size of the detected first and second peaks. |
| US09231622B2 |
Encoding methods and systems for binary product codes
A data encoding circuit and a corresponding method is provided. The data encoding circuit includes a first data formatter in communication with an encoder section. The first data formatter is configured to receive blocks of source data in serial and output parallel two dimensional source data. The encoder receives the parallel two dimensional source data and that computes a plurality of serial row parity bits and a plurality of parallel column parity bits of an error correcting code from the parallel two dimensional source data. A second data formatter communicates with the encoder section and receives the parallel column parity bits and outputs serial column parity bits. |
| US09231618B2 |
Early data tag to allow data CRC bypass via a speculative memory data return protocol
A bypass mechanism allows a memory controller to transmit requested data to an interconnect before the data's error code has been decoded, e.g., a cyclical redundancy check (CRC). The tag, tag CRC, data, and data CRC are pipelined from DRAM in four frames, each having multiple clock cycles. The tag includes a bypass bit indicating whether data transmission to the interconnect should begin before CRC decoding. After receiving the tag CRC, the controller decodes it and reserves a request machine which sends a transmit request signal to inform the interconnect that data is available. Once the transmit request is granted by the interconnect, the controller can immediately start sending the data, before decoding the data CRC. So long as no error is found, the controller completes transmission of the data to the interconnect, including providing an indication that the data as transmitted is error-free. |
| US09231617B2 |
Medical device with membrane keypad sealing element, and related manufacturing method
A device for delivering fluid to a user includes a housing, a drive motor assembly in the housing, other internal components in the housing, and a keypad external to the housing. The device includes a number of features and elements that enhance its operation, manufacturability, reliability, and user-friendliness. These features and elements include a shock absorbing element for a battery of the device, a keypad actuator layer that overlies a keypad assembly and forms a water resistant seal with the housing, and an offset element for a piezoelectric speaker that is located inside the housing. |
| US09231616B2 |
Unified binarization for CABAC/CAVLC entropy coding
Unified binarization for CABAC/CAVLC entropy coding. Scalable entropy coding is implemented in accordance with any desired degree of complexity (e.g., entropy encoding and/or decoding). For example, appropriately implemented context-adaptive variable-length coding (CAVLC) and context-adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC) allow for selective entropy coding in accordance with a number of different degrees of complexity. A given device may operate in accordance with a first level complexity a first time, a second level complexity of the second time, and so on. Appropriate coordination and signaling between an encoder/transmitter device and a decoder/receiver device allows for appropriate coordination along a desired degree of complexity. For example, a variable length binarization module and an arithmetic encoding module may be implemented within an encoder/transmitter device and a corresponding arithmetic decoding module and a variable length bin decoding module may be implemented within a decoder/receiver device allowing for entropy coding along various degrees of complexity. |
| US09231615B2 |
Method to shorten hash chains in Lempel-Ziv compression of data with repetitive symbols
An apparatus having a circuit is disclosed. The circuit may be configured to (i) generate a sequence of hash values in a table from a stream of data values with repetitive values, (ii) find two consecutive ones of the hash values in the sequence that have a common value and (iii) create a shortened hash chain by generating a pointer in the table at an intermediate location that corresponds to a second of the two consecutive hash values. The pointer generally points forward in the table to an end location that corresponds to a last of the data values in a run of the data values. |
| US09231614B2 |
Cancellation of feedback digital-to-analog converter errors in multi-stage delta-sigma analog-to-digital converters
The present disclosure describes a mechanism to digitally correct for the static mismatch of the digital-to-analog converter (DAC) in at least the first-stage of a multi-stage noise shaping (MASH) analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The correction is applicable to continuous-time implementations, and is especially attractive for high-speed applications. |
| US09231609B1 |
Systems and methods for frequency generation
A dielectric resonator oscillator includes a dielectric resonator; a transmission line disposed adjacent the dielectric resonator; an active device having an input electrically connected to the transmission line; a matching network having an input electrically connected to an output of the active device and an output configured to be connected to a load; wherein both the transmission line and the active device are positioned sufficiently close to the dielectric resonator to form part of a resonant circuit with the dielectric resonator. |
| US09231605B2 |
Removing deterministic phase errors from fractional-N PLLS
Methods and devices for phase adjustment include a phase detector that is configured to compare a reference clock and a feedback clock and to generate two output signals. A difference in time between pulse widths of the two output signals corresponds to a phase difference between the reference clock and the feedback clock. A programmable delay line is configured to delay an earlier output signal in accordance with a predicted deterministic phase error. An oscillator is configured to generate a feedback signal in accordance with the delayed output signal. A divider is configured to divide a frequency of the oscillator output by an integer N. The integer N is varied to achieve an average fractional divide ratio and the predicted deterministic phase error is based on the average divide ratio and an instantaneous divide ratio. |
| US09231604B2 |
Multi-phase clock generator
Embodiments provide a multi-phase clock generator. The clock generator includes a loop oscillator, a RC filter, a bias current source and a frequency injection source. The loop oscillator includes N levels of CMOS phase inverters which are connected in series and form a loop, N represents an odd number greater than 1. The N levels of CMOS phase inverters have the same structures, each of which includes a CMOS phase inverter main body and a tail current source which is a current mirror of the bias current source. As an effect of RC filter, a clock input signal inputted by the frequency injection source is applied to the first level tail current source, while other tail current sources are not influenced. Injection locking is induced, such that phase noise and frequency stray can be reduced. |
| US09231601B1 |
Techniques relating to phase-locked loop circuits
A phase-locked loop circuit includes a regulator circuit, first and second inductor-capacitor tank circuits, and first and second load capacitors. The regulator circuit generates a supply voltage. The first load capacitor is coupled to the regulator circuit and to the first inductor-capacitor tank circuit. The first load capacitor provides current for the supply voltage to the first inductor-capacitor tank circuit. The second load capacitor is coupled to the regulator circuit and to the second inductor-capacitor tank circuit. The second load capacitor provides current for the supply voltage to the second inductor-capacitor tank circuit. |
| US09231594B2 |
Non-LUT field-programmable gate arrays
New logic blocks capable of replacing the use of Look-Up Tables (LUTs) in integrated circuits, such as Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the new logic block is a tree structure comprised of a number of levels of cells with each cell consisting of a logic gate or the functional equivalent of a logic gate, one or more selectable inverters, and wherein the inputs of the logic block consist of the inputs to the logic gate or functional equivalent of the logic gate and inputs to the selectable inverters. The new logic blocks can map circuits more efficiently than LUTs, because they include multi-output blocks and can cover more logic depth due to the higher input and output bandwidth. |
| US09231590B1 |
Trim method for high voltage drivers
Methods and circuits are provided to create small, power minimizing, multi-channel high voltage drivers for micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS). A resistor calibration circuit is introduced to allow on chip resistor dividers to be calibrated against a single precision high voltage resistor divider, eliminating the cost and printed circuit board real estate associated with multiple resistor dividers connected to each channel. Additionally, a multiple-power rail configuration is provided to reduce power to the overall system by producing several rails generated by a boost converter or a capacitive charge pump, where the voltage output of the rails is produced to group rails of lesser voltage requirement rather than connecting all channels to the same high voltage rail on a dynamic basis. |
| US09231585B2 |
System and method for calibrating chips in a 3D chip stack architecture
A system and method is disclosed for adaptively adjusting a driving strength of a signal between a first and second chip in a 3D architecture/stack. This may be used to adaptively calibrate a chip in a 3D architecture/stack. The system may include a transmission circuit on one chip and a receiver circuit on another chip. Alternatively, the system may include a transmission and receiver circuit on just one chip. |
| US09231584B2 |
Device and method for micro-electro-mechanical-system photonic switch
In one embodiment, a micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) photonic switch includes a first plurality of collimators and a first mirror array optically coupled to the first plurality of collimators. The first mirror array includes a first plurality of first MEMS mirrors integrated on a first substrate and a first plurality of first photodiodes integrated on the first substrate, where the photodiodes are disposed in interstitial spaces between the MEMS mirrors. |
| US09231582B1 |
Bidirectional two-base bipolar junction transistor devices, operation, circuits, and systems with diode-mode turn-on and collector-side base driven
Methods, systems, circuits, and devices for power-packet-switching power converters using bidirectional bipolar transistors (BTRANs) for switching. Four-terminal three-layer BTRANs provide substantially identical operation in either direction with forward voltages of less than a diode drop. BTRANs are fully symmetric merged double-base bidirectional bipolar opposite-faced devices which operate under conditions of high non-equilibrium carrier concentration, and which can have surprising synergies when used as bidirectional switches for power-packet-switching power converters. BTRANs are driven into a state of high carrier concentration, making the on-state voltage drop very low. |
| US09231580B2 |
Semicondutor apparatus for controlling back bias
A semiconductor apparatus includes a back bias control block, a first back bias switching block and second back bias switching block. The back bias control block is configured to generate a first P channel control signal and a second N channel control signal. The first back bias switching block is configured to provide one of first and second high voltages as a first P channel back bias of a first circuit in response to the first P channel control signal, and to provide one of first and second low voltages as a first N channel back bias of the first circuit in response to the first N channel control signal. The second back bias switching block is configured to provide one of the first and second high voltages as a second P channel back bias of a second circuit in response to the second P channel control signal, and to provide one of the first and second low voltages as a second N channel back bias of the second circuit in response to the second N channel control signal. |
| US09231579B2 |
Highly linear buffer
Techniques relating to buffer circuits. In one embodiment, a circuit includes a first transistor configured as a source follower and a feed-forward path coupled to the gate terminal of the first transistor and the drain terminal of the first transistor. In this embodiment, the feed-forward path includes circuitry configured to decouple the feed-forward path from a DC component of an input signal to the gate terminal of the first transistor. In this embodiment, the circuitry is configured to reduce a drain-source voltage of the first transistor based on the input signal. In some embodiment, the feed-forward path includes a second transistor configured as a source follower and the source terminal of the second transistor is coupled to the drain terminal of the first transistor. In various embodiments, reducing the drain-source voltage may improve linearity of the first transistor. |
| US09231578B2 |
Apparatus and method for obtaining auxiliary voltage from control signals
An auxiliary voltage generating unit for a radio frequency switch includes a first input and a second input respectively configured to receive a first control signal and a second control signal, wherein the first control signal and the second control signal are configured to control which one of a plurality of paths in the radio frequency switch is enabled, and at least one output, configured to output an auxiliary voltage, derived from at least one of the first control signal or the second control signal, that is used to operate the radio frequency switch. The auxiliary voltage may be a bias voltage and/or a voltage used to power an inverter used to enable a selected branch as an isolation branch or shunt branch. |
| US09231577B2 |
Comparator
A comparator includes a first comparison unit configured to compare an input signal with a first signal and a second comparison unit configured to compare the input signal with a second signal having a voltage value lower than a voltage value of the first signal in a case where a voltage value of the input signal is lower than the voltage value of the first signal and compare the input signal with a third signal having a voltage value higher than a voltage value of the first signal in a case where a voltage value of the input signal is higher than the voltage value of the first signal. |
| US09231576B1 |
Device and method for clock signal loss detection
A device, comprises a first counter and a second counter, a control unit and a comparing unit. The first counter and the second counter are configured to alternately count a cycle number of a monitoring clock signal. The control unit is configured to generate, based on an input clock, both a first counter enable signal and a second counter enable signal that enable or disable the first and the second counters respective, and the first counter enable signal and the second counter enable signal are inverted. The comparing unit is coupled to both the first counter and the second counter and configured to detect a loss fault of the input clock if the cycle number of the monitoring signal counted by one of the first and the second counters exceed a predetermined threshold. |
| US09231575B2 |
Circuit and method for generating periodic control signals, and microscope and method for controlling a microscope
A circuit is configured to generate periodic control signals including at least two mutually phase-shifted control signals. The circuit includes a plurality of generator circuits, where a separate generator circuit is provided for each control signal output by the circuit. Each generator circuit includes a phase value memory configured to store a phase value, where the phase value defines a phase shift. Each generator circuit includes an activation input and, in response to application of an activation level to the activation input, is configured to initiate a generation of a control signal which is phase-shifted by an amount defined by the phase value. The activation inputs of the generator circuits are connected together to an activation circuit for outputting an activation level to the generator circuits simultaneously. |
| US09231573B2 |
Delay controlling circuit for driving circuit, driving circuit having delay controlling circuit, and method of operating driving circuit
A driving circuit includes first and second switches coupled in series, a delay generating circuit and a delay controlling circuit. The delay generating circuit and the delay controlling circuit are coupled to first and second control terminals of the first and second switches. The delay generating circuit is configured to alternately turn ON the first switch and the second switch in accordance with an input signal and with a delay between successive ON times of the first switch and the second switch. The delay controlling circuit is configured to store a setting of the delay, and control the delay generating circuit to generate the delay in accordance with the stored setting, a first voltage on the first control terminal and a second voltage on the second control terminal. |
| US09231572B2 |
Output slew rate control
This document discusses, among other things, output slew rate control. Methods and structures are described to provide slew rate control of an output driver circuit such as a DRAM output driver on a die. A selectable combination of series coupled transistors are configured as a parallel array of complementary inverter pairs to provide a divided voltage to a calibrator. The calibrator is configured to respond to a differential voltage to adjust the divided voltage such that the differential voltage is forced to zero. The calibrator outputs a plurality of discrete signals from an up/down counter to toggle the individual transistors of the parallel array to increase and decrease a collective current. In some embodiments, transistor channel currents are modulated to step-adjust a voltage based on a ratio associated with a static resistance. In various embodiments, the divided voltage is an analog voltage based on a resistance associated with trim circuitry. |
| US09231571B2 |
Resonant clock amplifier with a digitally tunable delay
A programmable frequency receiver includes a slicer for receiving data at a first frequency, a de-multiplexer for de-multiplexing the data at a second frequency, a programmable clock generator for generating a clock at the first frequency, and first and second resonant clock amplifiers for amplifying clock signals at the first and second frequencies. The resonant clock amplifiers include an inductor having a low Q value, allowing them to amplify clock signals over the programmable frequency range of the receiver. The second resonant clock amplifier includes digitally tunable delay elements to delay and center the amplified clock signal of the second frequency in the data window at the interface between the slicer and the de-multiplexer. The delay elements can be capacitors. A calibration circuit adjusts capacitive elements within a master clock generator to generate a master clock at the first frequency. |
| US09231570B2 |
Fast voltage level shifter circuit
A voltage level shifting circuit with an input terminal and an output terminal. The level shifting circuit has a field-effect transistor (FET) switch with a gate attached to the input terminal, a drain attached to the output terminal and a source attached to a current changing mechanism. The current changing mechanism includes a current mirror circuit having an output connected between the source and an electrical earth. The output of the current mirror circuit is preferably adapted to change a current flowing between the drain and the source based on an input voltage applied to the gate. |
| US09231565B2 |
Circuit with a plurality of bipolar transistors and method for controlling such a circuit
A circuit includes a bipolar transistor circuit including a first node, a second node, and a plurality of bipolar transistors coupled in parallel between the first node and the second node. The circuit further includes a drive circuit configured to switch on a first group of the plurality of bipolar transistors, the first group including a first subgroup and a second subgroup and each of the first subgroup and the second subgroup including one or more of the bipolar transistors. The drive circuit is further configured to switch off the first subgroup at the end of a first time period and switch off the second subgroup at a time instant before the end of the first time period. |
| US09231559B1 |
Vector sum circuit for digitally controlled wideband phase shifter
A vector sum circuit for producing a radio frequency (RF) output at a selectable phase offset includes an RF input configured to receive a differential pair RF input. A quadrature network produces an additional pair of RF inputs whose phase is advanced 90 degrees (90°) with reference to the first differential pair RF input, thereby producing four RF input signals offset at 0°, 90°, 180° and 270°. For each RF input signal, a set of three cascodes, having a plurality of NPN transistors and each emitter being commonly connected to an RF input. The first cascode steers current to a first output node, the second cascode steers current to a second output node and the third cascode shunts current to the voltage rail. By selectively steering current from the quadrature RF inputs to a selected output, an output signal having a desired phase shift is achieved. |
| US09231557B2 |
Duplexer
A duplexer includes a transmitting filter including serial resonators and parallel resonators connected in a ladder configuration, and a receiving filter. A resonator of the serial resonators and the parallel resonators in the transmitting filter that is arranged closest to a common terminal of the transmitting filter and the transmitting filter includes a surface acoustic wave resonator, and at least one resonator excluding the resonator that is arranged closest to the common terminal includes a film bulk acoustic wave resonator. |
| US09231556B2 |
Acoustic wave filter having reduced non-linearities, and method for production
An acoustic wave filter having reduced non-linearities as well as a production method are disclosed. A filter comprises a first electroacoustic transducer having a first metallization ratio and a second electroacoustic transducer having a second metallization ratio. The metallization ratios range from 0.2 to 0.8, and the metallization ratio of the first transducer is no more than 0.8 times the metallization ratio of the second transducer. |
| US09231555B2 |
Quartz resonator with cut sections formed on the support arm
A quartz crystal resonator element includes a first electrode pad and a second electrode pad disposed on a lower surface of a support arm, and cut sections disposed in both principal surfaces (upper and lower surfaces) of the support arm between the first and second electrode pads so as to overlap each other, and the cut sections extend so that the support arm is cut from the side surface in the +X-axis direction of the support arm to the −X-axis direction, and are provided with first surfaces roughly perpendicular to the X axis and first and second tilted surfaces extending in the +X-axis direction. |
| US09231552B2 |
RF front-end module and mobile wireless terminal
An electronic device including a first reception band pass filter having a first reception frequency set as a passband; a second reception band pass filter having a second reception frequency set as a passband; a first matching circuit having a first end connected to an antenna terminal; a first switch having a first end connected to a second end of the first matching circuit: a second switch having a first end connected to the second end of the first matching circuit; a second matching circuit connected between a second end of the first switch and the first reception band pass filter; and a third matching circuit connected between a second end of the second switch and the second reception band pass filter, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third matching circuits is a variable matching circuit having a controllable matching constant. |
| US09231547B2 |
Filter for removing noise and method of manufacturing the same
The present invention discloses a filter for removing noise, which includes: a lower magnetic body; an insulating layer disposed on the lower magnetic body and including at least one conductor pattern; input and output stud terminals electrically connected to the conductor pattern for electrical input and output of the conductor pattern; and an upper magnetic body consisting of an inner upper magnetic body including ferrite powder with a size corresponding to the interval between the input and output stud terminals and an outer upper magnetic body including ferrite powder with a size corresponding to the interval between the input and output stud terminals and an outer surface of the lower magnetic body.According to the present invention, it is possible to implement a coil part with high performance and characteristics by increasing permeability and improving impedance characteristics through simple structure and process. |
| US09231546B2 |
Multi-dimensional array of impedance elements
Circuitry formed of a two-dimensional regular array of capacitive elements 2 is coupled to decoding circuitry in the form of column decoder 8 and a row decoder 6. The decoders 8, 6 are used to select a start point and an end point within a sequence of selected capacitive elements to be connected in parallel following a horizontal raster scan arrangement. The selected capacitive elements may be used to generate an output voltage with a magnitude corresponding to the number of selected capacitive elements. |
| US09231542B1 |
Amplifier common-mode control method
A fully differential amplifier performs common-mode voltage control while having reduced sensitivity to random offsets and mismatches and improved common-mode control loop bandwidth. The amplifier disclosed comprises an additional common-mode control sub-amplifier, which senses common-mode voltage of the fully differential main amplifier at nodes within the continuous-time signal path feedback network, compares the common-mode voltage sensed with a reference voltage, and regulates depending on the result of the comparison the output common-mode voltage via the existing continuous signal path feedback network. Furthermore the internal common-mode control can be implemented in such a manner as to provide a feed-forward transconductance function in addition to common-mode control if desired. Moreover it is possible to use feedback from other amplifier stages in an amplifier chain to implement common-mode feedback. |
| US09231538B1 |
Energy efficient, low distortion amplification apparatus
An energy efficient, low distortion amplification apparatus includes: a differential amplifier having a pair of differential inputs, a pair of outputs, and a bias current control input; a digital delay having an n-bit word input and an m-bit word output; a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) having an input coupled to the output of the digital delay and a pair of differential outputs coupled to the pair of differential inputs of the differential amplifier; and a bias current controller having an input coupled to the digital delay and having an output coupled to the bias current control input of the differential amplifier. |
| US09231537B1 |
High power and high linearity cascode amplifier
An apparatus having a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit may be configured to generate an output signal in response to an intermediate signal. The first circuit may be implemented using a first transistor type. The second circuit may be configured to generate the intermediate signal in response to (i) an input signal and (ii) a feedback of the output signal. The second circuit may be implemented using a second transistor type. The output signal is an amplified version of the input signal while maintaining linearity. |
| US09231535B2 |
Silent start class-D amplifier
A Class-D amplifier includes a pre-amplifier having an input configured to receive an amplifier reference voltage signal which is ramped at start-up at a fast rate. An integrator has a first input configured to receive an input signal from the pre-amplifier and a second input configured to receive an integrator reference voltage signal which is ramped at start-up at a slower rate. A modulator has an input coupled to an output of the integrator. The modulator generates a pulse width modulated output signal. Operation of the Class-D amplifier is controlled at start-up by applying a slow ramped signal as the integrator reference voltage signal and a fast ramped signal as the amplifier reference voltage so that the pulse width modulated output signal exhibits an increasing change in duty cycle in response to an increasing voltage of the integrator reference voltage signal, and no “pop” is introduced at start-up. |
| US09231534B2 |
Optimal envelope tracking reference waveform generation
A method and apparatus is provided to improve upon the efficiency of a power amplifier. Suitable hardware/software in the form of circuitry, logic gates, and/or code functions to construct an envelope tracking waveform of an input communications signal and modulate the input supply voltage based on power amplifier circuitry operational parameters such as slew rates. |
| US09231530B1 |
System for calibrating power amplifier
A system for calibrating a power amplifier (PA) includes a memory, a processor, a digital pre-distorter (DPD), and a data converter. The DPD includes a programming interface module, a pattern generator, a multiplier, and a pre-distorter module. The multiplier multiplies reference baseband stream data from the memory with pattern coefficient data generated by the pattern generator to generate shaped reference baseband stream data. The pre-distorter module generates pre-distorted shaped reference baseband stream data. The PA receives a low-power reference radio frequency (RF) signal corresponding to the pre-distorted shaped reference baseband stream data and generates a high-power reference RF signal. The processor receives and compares the pre-distorted shaped reference baseband stream data with amplified shaped reference baseband stream data corresponding to the high-power reference RF signal, and adjusts pre-distortion parameters in the pre-distorter module based on the comparison such that the PA generates a linear high-power RF signal. |
| US09231529B2 |
Switchable multi-output low-noise amplifier with distortion cancellation
A low-noise amplifier is provided that includes an input amplifier stage coupled to a plurality of independently switchable output amplifier stages. The input amplifier stage is operative to amplify an input communications signal, and it provides both an amplified communications signal and a feedforward signal. The amplified communications signal and the feedforward signal both include a distortion component. Each of the switchable output stages is operative to provide an output that combines the feedforward signal with the amplified communications signal in such a way that the distortion components of the signals at least partially cancel one another. In some embodiments, the switching of the output amplifier stages is performed by circuitry that also serves to improve reverse isolation of the separate output amplifier stages. |
| US09231528B2 |
Amplification device having compensation for a local thermal memory effect
In one embodiment, an amplification device has a temperature differential sensing circuit that reduces a local thermal memory effect. The amplification device may include an amplification circuit and biasing circuitry. The amplification device is operable to receive an input signal and generate and amplified output signal. The biasing circuitry generates a biasing signal that sets the quiescent operating level of the amplified output signal. The temperature differential sensing circuit provides a bias level adjustment signal that adjusts the biasing signal to maintain the quiescent operating level of the amplified output signal at a desired level. |
| US09231523B2 |
Modulating device and modulation method
A modulating device including: a first convertor configured to generate a converted analog signal by analog conversion on a input digital signal, a modulator configured to generate a modulated signal by quadrature modulation, a phase shifter configured to generate a phase shift signal by phase rotation, a demodulator configured to generate a demodulated signal by quadrature demodulation, a second convertor to generate a converted digital signal by digital conversion, a calculating circuit configured to estimate a the first direct current offset based on the input digital signal and the converted digital signal, the first direct current offset being a noise of digital current component generated between the input digital signal inputted to the first convertor and the output signal inputted to the demodulator, and a correcting circuit configured to correct at least one among from the input digital signal to the output signal based on the first direct current offset. |
| US09231519B2 |
Temperature compensation for oscillator
A temperature compensation apparatus may include a sense circuit configured to produce a sense voltage that is dependent on temperature and a temperature compensation circuit configured to receive the sense voltage and produce a temperature compensation control signal to control a compensation capacitor array of an oscillator. The temperature compensation circuit may be configured to calibrate the control signal to have a first value at a first temperature. The temperature compensation circuit may also be configured to calibrate a trimming level (e.g., slope) of the control signal. |
| US09231514B2 |
Motor control apparatus and motor control method
A winding switching signal generator is configured to obtain information indicating a degree of field weakening from at least one of a current command calculator and a constant output controller, and to generate a winding switching signal for switching from a low speed rotation state to a high speed rotation state when the degree of the field weakening exceeds a predetermined condition in the low speed rotation state. |
| US09231513B2 |
Electric motor system
An electric motor system including: a rotor (9); a stator (8); the rotor and the stator being mounted for movement relative to one another; the rotor having multiple magnetic poles (11); the stator having multiple salient poles (12) facing the magnetic poles; a first coil set (1A) and a second coil set (1B); the first coil set having three phases, each of the phases comprising a first coil (u1, v1, w1) and a second coil (u1 v1′, w1′) connected in series and wrapped around different of the salient poles in different directions relative to the rotor; the second coil set having three phases, each of the phases comprising a first coil (u2, v2, w2) and a second coil (u2′, v2′, w2′) connected in series and wrapped around different of the salient poles in different directions relative to the rotor; a driver (2) configured to drive the first coil set with a first three-phase voltage (U1, V1, W1) and to drive the second coil set with a second three-phase voltage (U2, V2, W2); the driver configured to drive the first phase of the first three-phase voltage and the first phase of the second three-phase voltage with a relative phase shift. |
| US09231512B2 |
Systems, methods, and devices for demodulating induction motor instantaneous rotor slot harmonic frequency
A method and apparatus to dynamically and adaptively demodulate induction motor instantaneous rotor slot harmonic frequency for line-connected squirrel-cage polyphase induction motors. The instantaneous rotor slot harmonic frequency carries essential information on the instantaneous rotor speed. Based on a correlation between the motor's input power and its rotor slot harmonic frequency, a dynamically varying carrier frequency is computed and used in a rotor slot harmonic frequency detector. The rotor slot harmonic frequency detector is based on a superheterodyne principle. It contains a generalized linear-phase low-pass filter, whose bandwidth is estimated dynamically by a filter bandwidth estimator. The rotor slot harmonic frequency detector also includes a latency compensator, which receives the dynamically varying carrier frequency signal and synchronizes it with the output of a frequency demodulator. |
| US09231510B2 |
Control device for rotary machine and inductance measurement method for rotary machine
A control device for rotary machine includes: a voltage instruction generation section for generating a voltage instruction; a voltage application section for applying voltage to a rotary machine based on the voltage instruction; a current detection section for detecting rotary machine current of the rotary machine; and an inductance calculation section for calculating an inductance of the rotary machine from the voltage instruction and the rotary machine current. The voltage instruction generation section generates voltage instructions of constant DC voltages. The voltage application section applies voltages to the rotary machine based on the voltage instructions. The inductance calculation section calculates the inductance from a voltage instruction for measurement arbitrarily selected from the voltage instructions, and the rotary machine currents detected by the current detection section before and after application of the voltage instruction for measurement. |
| US09231508B2 |
Motor driver apparatus and method of controlling the same
A motor driver apparatus that is formed of a semiconductor integrated circuit which is supplied with an electric power and drives a direct current motor includes a signal generating part that generates an indication signal for indicating a back electromotive force generation period while the direct current motor generates a back electromotive force, a removing part that detects a voltage variation generated in a power-supply voltage by the back electromotive force generated by the direct-current motor during the back electromotive force generation period indicated by the indication signal, and removes the detected voltage variation, and a limiting part that limits the power-supply voltage so as to be less than a predetermined voltage at a speed higher than that in the removing part. |
| US09231507B2 |
Motor driving curcuit and permanent magnet synchronous motor
A motor driving circuit includes a magnetic-pole-position detecting unit that detects a rotating position of a rotor of a permanent magnet synchronous motor, a voltage output unit that converts a direct-current voltage and generates a driving voltage for the permanent magnet synchronous motor, a voltage control unit that controls the voltage output unit on the basis of a comparison result of a modulation wave and a carrier wave, a voltage-phase adjusting unit that determines, using a differential amplifier circuit that receives a rotating speed control signal and an offset signal, a phase of the modulation wave generated by the voltage control unit and causes the voltage control unit to generate the modulation wave in the determined phase, and an offset generating unit that generates the offset signal. |
| US09231504B2 |
Electrical control system
An electrical control system having a direct current to direct current regulator receiving a direct current supply input, wherein the regulator outputs a controlled voltage direct current inverter power feed. Included is an inverter in electrical communication with the regulator and receives the controlled voltage direct current inverter power feed, the inverter outputs an alternating current motor power feed to a permanent magnet brushless direct current motor that outputs a shaft rotational speed and a back electromotive force. Also, a control is provided for regulating the controlled voltage direct current inverter power feed based upon criteria utilizing the back electromotive force or an auxiliary motor stator wire loop signal in conjunction with an optional voltage look-up table to substantially make the controlled voltage result in a reduction of a pulse width modulation switching frequency to further smooth and reduce harmonic of the alternating current waveform to increase motor efficiency. |
| US09231496B2 |
Capacitive micro-machined transducer and method of manufacturing the same
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a capacitive micro-machined transducer (100), in particular a CMUT, the method comprising depositing a first electrode layer (10) on a substrate (1), depositing a first dielectric film (20) on the first electrode layer (10), depositing a sacrificial layer (30) on the first dielectric film (20), the sacrificial layer (30) being removable for forming a cavity (35) of the transducer, depositing a second dielectric film (40) on the sacrificial layer (30), and depositing a second electrode layer (50) on the second dielectric film (40), wherein the first dielectric film (20) and/or the second dielectric film (40) comprises a first layer comprising an oxide, a second layer comprising a high-k material, and a third layer comprising an oxide, and wherein the depositing steps are performed by Atomic Layer Deposition. The present invention further relates to a capacitive micro-machined transducer (100), in particular a CMUT, manufactured by such method. |
| US09231492B2 |
System and method of power conversion
Systems and methods for converting power are presented. The power conversion includes conducting load current through a first current path of multiple current paths in a power conversion unit using switches, diodes, or a combination thereof. The power conversion also includes blocking one or more additional current paths of the multiple current paths in the power conversion unit using one or more of the switches, one or more of the diodes, or a combination thereof. Furthermore, the power conversion includes reducing potential voltage stress on the one or more switches by using one or more voltage stress reduction switches to reduce a voltage that is blocked by the one or more blocking switches or diodes by connecting an end of each of the one or more switches opposite to a blocking edge to an intermediate voltage node. |
| US09231488B2 |
Power converter and method for controlling the same
A power converter includes a full-bridge converter circuit and a regulation circuit. The full-bridge converter circuit includes a full-bridge circuit having a first and a second input terminals and a first and a second output terminals. The regulation circuit is bridged across the first and the second input terminals of the full-bridge circuit and connected to the first output terminal of the full-bridge circuit. The regulation circuit is configured for operatively regulating an output voltage across the first and the second output terminals of the full-bridge circuit by cooperating with the full-bridge converter circuit, such that the output voltage across the first and the second output terminals of the full-bridge circuit has more than three voltage levels. A method for controlling a power converter is also disclosed herein. |
| US09231486B2 |
System and method for information communication between electrically isolated circuits
An exemplary power conversion system includes a power converter and a protection circuit coupled with the power converter. The power converter is configured to convert an input power into an output power. The power converter includes an isolator magnetically coupling a primary side and a secondary side and at least one primary switch coupled in series with the primary side. The at least one primary switch is configured to turn on or turn off current to the isolator on the primary side. The protection circuit is coupled to the at least one primary switch. The protection circuit includes a detecting device for detecting switch state of a secondary switch on the secondary side. The detecting device is configured to drive the at least one primary switch according to the detected switch state. A method for operating the power conversion system is also described. |
| US09231484B2 |
Switching power supply apparatus
A switching power supply apparatus includes a voltage step-up converter that increases input voltage in response to turning on and off of a switching element, a transformer including a primary winding and a secondary winding and the primary winding of which is connected to the output of the voltage step-up converter, a microcontroller that controls the turning on and off of the switching element, an input voltage detection circuit that detects input voltage of the microcontroller, and an intermediate bus voltage detection circuit that detects intermediate bus voltage from the microcontroller. The input voltage detection circuit and the intermediate bus voltage detection circuit are circuits including elements having the same specifications. The microcontroller controls the turning on and off of the switching element based on a result of calculation from voltage values detected by the input voltage detection circuit and the intermediate bus voltage detection circuit. |
| US09231483B2 |
DC/DC converter
A pulse modulator generates a pulse modulation signal SPM having a duty ratio which is adjusted according to a feedback voltage Vfb that corresponds to the output voltage VOUT of a DC/DC converter. A second oscillator generates a second cyclic signal which is asserted with each of a predetermined second period. A light load detection circuit generates a light load detection signal which is asserted when the feedback voltage Vfb becomes lower than a first threshold voltage. A driving circuit drives a switching transistor according to the pulse modulation signal SPM. Furthermore, the driving circuit suspends the driving of the switching transistor during a period until the second cyclic signal is next asserted after the light load detection signal is asserted. |
| US09231482B2 |
Apparatus for regulating an energy system and method for operating an energy system
The present invention provides compensation of rapid fluctuations in voltage in a DC-to-DC converter. For this, the primary side of the DC-to-DC converter is monitored by means of capacitive voltage dividers. A voltage fluctuation occurring in the process can be identified early and thereupon the DC-to-DC converter can be controlled correspondingly to counteract this. |
| US09231481B2 |
Power converter apparatus
A power converter having reduced switching transients includes a conversion inductance, a pulse width modulation (PWM) controller, a conversion inductance, and a switch transistor. A low pass filter is connected between the PWM controller and the switch transistor to filter a PWM signal produced by the PWM controller and produce a filtered PWM signal. The switching transistor switches current through the conversion inductance responsive to the filtered PWM signal. The low pass filter filters out harmonic content of the PWM signal that is above the fundamental frequency in a way that maintains most of the harmonic content of the PWM signal to substantially eliminate higher harmonic elements which are conventionally responsible for transients across the conversion inductance. |
| US09231478B2 |
Step-down direct-current to direct-current converter, controller and control method thereof, and electronic apparatus using same
An M-channel (M is an integer of at least two) synchronous rectification type step-down DC/DC converter is provided. A controller in the converter (i) calculates a load current on a basis of currents flowing through M inductors, (ii) dynamically changes the number K of driving phases (K is an integer of up to M) on the basis of the calculated load current, (iii) generates a pulse signal adjusted in duty ratio such that an output voltage of an output line coincides with a predetermined reference voltage, (iv) selects K drivers among M drivers, and distributes the pulse signal with a phase difference of (360/K) degrees to each of the selected K drivers, and (v) monotonically increases an amplitude control signal indicating the amplitude of a gate driving voltage with respect to the calculated load current in a range determined in advance for each number K of driving phases. |
| US09231476B2 |
Tracking energy consumption using a boost-buck technique
The invention relates to an apparatus and method for tracking energy consumption. An energy tracking system comprises at least one switching element, at least one inductor and a control block to keep the output voltage at a pre-selected level. The switching elements are configured to apply the source of energy to the inductors. The control block compares the output voltage of the energy tracking system to a reference value and controls the switching of the switched elements in order to transfer energy for the primary voltage into a secondary voltage at the output of the energy tracking system. The electronic device further comprises an ON-time and OFF-time generator and an accumulator wherein the control block is coupled to receive a signal from the ON-time and OFF-time generator and generates switching signals for the at least one switching element in the form of ON-time pulses with a constant width ON-time. |
| US09231475B2 |
DC-DC converter, semiconductor device, and electronic device
A DC-DC converter with improved voltage conversion efficiency is provided. The DC-DC converter includes a first circuit configured to generate a first signal containing data on current flowing through a load, a second circuit configured to amplify the first signal, a third circuit configured to generate a second signal containing data on voltage applied to the load, a fourth circuit configured to hold the second signal, a fifth circuit configured to amplify the second signal held by the fourth circuit, a sixth circuit configured to correct a difference in electrical characteristics between the second circuit and the fifth circuit, a seventh circuit configured to convert a first voltage to a second voltage supplied to the load, and an eighth circuit configured to control a level of the second voltage generated by the seventh circuit in accordance with either the amplified first signal or the amplified second signal. |
| US09231473B2 |
Increasing EAP conversion efficiency by continuous current
An electromechanical energy conversion system includes a variable capacitor, an electronic charging/discharging unit and a power source/sink; the power source/sink being coupled to the electronic charging/discharging unit which is coupled to the variable capacitor; the variable capacitor including first and second electrodes that are separated by an intermediate medium providing a gap distance therebetween; the gap distance being adjustable between a minimal distance and a maximal distance as a function of an externally applied mechanical force; the electronic charging/discharging unit being arranged for charging the variable capacitor from the power source/sink at substantially a state of the variable capacitor when the gap distance is minimal and the area of the elastically deformed body maximal, and for discharging the variable capacitor to the power source/sink at substantially a state of the variable capacitor when the gap distance is maximal and the area of the elastically deformed body minimal. |
| US09231471B2 |
Hybrid-switching step-down converter with a hybrid transformer
The present invention employs a resonant inductor, a resonant capacitor and a hybrid transformer using a Hybrid-switching method with three switches which results in two distinct switched-networks: one for ON-time interval and another for OFF-time interval. Resonant inductor is placed in series with the hybrid transformer primary to insure the continuity of primary and secondary currents at the switching transitions and thus eliminating completely the potential switching losses at the switching transitions. In the best use of the invention the resonant inductor is replaced by use of the inherent leakage inductance of the transformer and for the first time eliminate the switching losses always associated with the transformer leakage inductance of all other switching converters. The output voltage is controlled by the standard Pulse Width Modulated (PWM) duty ratio control. |
| US09231470B2 |
Control circuit, time calculating unit, and operating method for control circuit
A control circuit, a time calculating unit, and operating method for control circuit are disclosed. The control circuit is operated in a power converter and coupled to a load. The control circuit includes an output stage and a time calculating unit. The time calculating unit receives a control signal and a reference voltage and provides a switch conducting signal to the output stage. The generation of the control signal is related to an output voltage of the power converter. When the difference between the control signal and the reference voltage becomes larger due to the change of the load, the time calculating unit dynamically increases an on-time of the switch conducting signal. |
| US09231469B2 |
Auto-tuning current loop compensation for power factor correction controller
An apparatus comprises a power converter circuit and a controller. The power converter circuit includes an inductor, a switching circuit, and a digital control loop circuit having an adjustable transfer function, wherein the transfer function includes a zero variable and a signal gain variable. The controller includes a tuning module configured to set a value for the zero variable, set the signal gain variable to a first gain value, determine a control error for the first gain value setting, wherein the control error is a difference between a reference current and a load current at a circuit load, iteratively update the gain value of the signal gain variable and determine the control error for the updated gain value, and set an operating gain value of the signal gain variable to the gain value corresponding to a minimum control error. |
| US09231463B2 |
Noise resistant regulator including an encoded control signal
A converter for supplying a regulated voltage from an input to a load is disclosed. The converter supplies a regulated DC voltage from an input to a load using a power switch driven by a gate driver. It also includes a control loop for carrying a load condition signal and a control signal. The converter also includes a controller located on the control loop that generates the control signal based on the load signal. The controller is located on a first integrated circuit. The gate driver is located on a second integrated circuit. The load condition signal is encoded on the first integrated circuit and is decoded on the second integrated circuit. |
| US09231461B2 |
Electromagnetic energy conversion through coil and magnet arrays
This specification describes technologies relating to converting vibration energy to electrical energy through electromagnetic transduction. According to an aspect, an apparatus to convert kinetic energy to electricity through electromagnetic transduction can include: an array of magnets arranged in a first plane; and an array of coils arranged in a second plane with respect to the first plane to form a gap between the array of magnets and the array of coils. According to another aspect, an energy harvester can include: a two dimensional array of magnets; a two dimensional array of coils; a housing configured and arranged to limit a direction of motion of either the two dimensional array of magnets or the two dimensional array of coils; and additional magnets configured and arranged to form a suspension system for either the two dimensional array of magnets or the two dimensional array of coils in the direction of motion. |
| US09231456B2 |
Brush device for an electric machine, and electric machine
A brush device (100) for an electric machine (10), having a brush (20) which is arranged in a brush guide element (21; 21a) so as to be longitudinally displaceable in the direction of a contact element (16) and which bears against the contact element (16) by way of a contact surface (30), wherein the brush (20) has a longitudinal axis (25) arranged at a first oblique angle (α) with respect to an axis of rotation (11) of the contact element (16), wherein that face side (23) of the brush (20) which is situated opposite the contact surface (30) is subjected to the spring force (F) of a spring element (32) in an abutment region (31). |
| US09231451B2 |
Starter motor for a vehicle
A dual earth starter motor for a vehicle. The starter motor includes a housing, an armature within the housing, a brush plate within the housing arranged to deliver electric current, by means of conductive brushes, to the armature, and two separate earth terminals electrically connected to the brush plate with each terminal extending through a wall of the housing. In a preferred form, the two earth terminals are electrically isolated from the housing, and at least one of the terminals is mechanically and electrically coupled to the brush plate my means of an interference fit between a portion of the terminal and a hole formed in the brush plate. A method of retrofitting a second earth terminal to an existing starter motor is also disclosed. |
| US09231450B2 |
Motor
A stator core is sandwiched between a first frame and a second frame. A fastening member fastens the first frame and the second frame. The first frame includes a ring flange that is in contact with an attachment surface of the motor attachment portion. The flange includes a fixing portion fixed to the attachment surface and a fastening portion, which receives fastening force by the fastening member. The first frame includes a deform suppression portion for suppressing deformation of the fixing member when the fastening member is fastened. |
| US09231444B2 |
Superconductor winding
This invention relates to a superconducting electrical machine, comprising: a superconducting winding at least partially surrounded by a magnetic flux guide, wherein the magnetic flux guide includes a binder loaded with a magnetic material. |
| US09231443B2 |
Terminal device having meta-structure
A terminal device includes a housing, a communication antenna installed in a first region in the housing and configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic waves, an agglomerative meta-structure installed in a second region spaced from the first region in the housing and configured to agglomerate the electromagnetic waves received from the communication antenna, and a recycling unit configured to convert the electromagnetic waves agglomerated by the agglomerative meta-structure to effective power. |
| US09231442B2 |
Power supply circuit and base station
A power supply circuit comprising: a load; a resistor coupled the load; a first secondary battery; a second secondary battery; a switch configured to switch between a first state in which the first secondary battery and the second secondary battery are charged and a second state in which load current is supplied from the first secondary battery and the second secondary battery to the load based on current flowing through the resistor; and a shunt regulator configured to control the switch. |
| US09231441B2 |
Wind power generation system, device using wind power generation system, and method for operating same
A wind turbine able to generate power irrespective of a presence of and a state of a power grid is disclosed. Specifically, a wind power generation system is provided with a wind turbine, the wind turbine including a blade that rotates in response to the wind, a generator that rotates with rotation of the blade to generate power, and an auxiliary machine that controls a pitch angle of the blade. The auxiliary machine is driven by the generated power of a downwind type wind turbine to which a permanent magnet type generator is mounted and which generates power in a state in which a blade of the downwind type wind turbine rotating in response to the wind faces downwind. |
| US09231439B2 |
System and method for estimating an efficiency of a power device
A method for estimating an efficiency of a power device includes identifying a state of operation of the power device, measuring power-related information produced by the power device, and determining an estimated efficiency of the power device based in part on the state of operation of the power device and power loss parameters associated with the power device by using the measured power-related information. Other methods and devices for measuring efficiency are further disclosed. |
| US09231438B2 |
Airborne power system disconnect system and method
An system and method to automatically disconnect a retrofit electrical unit from an electrical system in the event of an emergency situation and maintain power to the retrofit electrical unit. |
| US09231435B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for operating devices with solar power
Solar power tracking techniques are described herein. In one aspect of the invention, a solar power tracking apparatus includes, but is not limited to, a voltage converter and a controller coupled to the voltage converter. The voltage converter includes an input capable of being coupled to a solar power source and an output capable of being coupled to an electronic load, such as, for example, a portable electronic device. The voltage converter is configured to monitor or detect an amount of power drawn by the electronic load at the output of the voltage converter. In response to the monitored power drawn, the controller is configured to control the voltage converter to reduce amount of power to be drawn subsequently if the monitored amount of power exceeds a predetermined threshold. As a result, the output voltage from the solar power source is maintained within a predetermined range. Other methods and apparatuses are also described. |
| US09231434B2 |
Charging a battery using a multi-rate charge
A method and system for applying a multi-rate charge to a battery are included herein. The method includes detecting a plurality of predetermined electrical measurements and a plurality of predetermined charge currents. The method also includes detecting an electrical measurement of the battery. Additionally, the method includes selecting a charge current from the plurality of predetermined charge currents to be applied to the battery based on the electrical measurement of the battery and the plurality of predetermined electrical measurements. Furthermore, the method includes applying the charge current to the battery. The method also includes detecting a plurality of subsequent electrical measurements of the battery. In addition, the method includes applying a plurality of subsequent charge currents to the battery based on the plurality of subsequent electrical measurements of the battery and the plurality of predetermined charge currents. |
| US09231431B2 |
Integrated circuit for wireless charging and operating method thereof
An integrated circuit for wireless charging and a wireless charging method in an integrated circuit are provided. The integrated circuit includes a first wireless communication unit configured to support a first wireless communication method; a second wireless communication unit configured to support a second wireless communication method; a first route selection unit configured to perform a selection from among a first power input according to wired charging and a second power input according to wireless charging to be allowed as input; a second route selection unit configured to perform a selection from among a power between a third power input from a battery and a fourth power input according to wireless charging to be allowed as input; a power block configured to receive the power from any the first and second route selection units; and a controller configured to control an operation of the first and second route selection units. |
| US09231430B2 |
Power supply system, charging system, and charging control device including a battery and a charging device with a shape of hexagonal cylinder
There is provided a charging system including at least one battery device that includes a secondary cell therein, a charging device that performs contactless power transmission to transmit power to the battery device, and a charging control device that controls the contactless power transmission between the charging device and the battery device, wherein the battery device is a hexagonal cylinder having a bottom surface with a substantially regular hexagonal shape and having a predetermined height, wherein the charging device is a hexagonal cylinder having a bottom surface with a substantially regular hexagonal shape and having a predetermined height, and wherein the contactless power transmission is performed between the charging device and the battery device under control of the charging control device by stacking the battery device on the charging device. |
| US09231426B2 |
Charge control device and electronic apparatus using the same
A charge control device includes a control circuit configured to monitor a charge voltage and a charge current of a battery and perform output feedback control upon the charge voltage and the charge current to thereby achieve constant voltage charge or constant current charge of the battery; and an adjusting circuit configured to adjust the output feedback control of the control circuit based on charge state information of the battery obtained by a gas gauge device. |
| US09231421B2 |
Electromagnetic induction device of coil type for charging and supplying power
An electromagnetic induction device of coil type for charging and supplying power, the device comprises a split type electrical body (1) and a charging body (2); wherein the electrical body (1) comprises a first casing (11), a first charging circuit board (12) fixed inside the first casing (11), a chargeable battery (13), a load (14) and a first coil (15) connected with the first charging circuit board (12); the charging body (2) comprises a second casing (21), a second charging circuit board (22) fixed inside the second casing (21), a second coil (23) connected with the first charging circuit board (22), a charging plug (24) installed in the second casing (21); the said second casing (21) with a annular sleeve-joint portion (211) sleeved outside of the first casing (11), and the second coil (23) is arranged in the annular sleeve-joint portion (211), and when the electrical body (1) is connected with the charging body (2) in sleeve mode, the first coil (15) is arranged right inside the second coil (23). The device can supply power to a battery of an electrical apparatus by means of non-contact manner. |
| US09231418B2 |
Method for monitoring a charging process of a battery
A method is described for monitoring a charging process of a battery, in which cell voltages of a plurality of battery cells are measured at regular time intervals, and loading of the battery by a process of switching on an additional electrical load is prevented if the measured cell voltage of one battery cell exceeds a predetermined cell voltage threshold value. A motor vehicle is also described, which is configured to carry out the method according to the disclosure during a battery charging process. In addition, a battery system is described, in which a controller is configured to determine an estimated value as a function of measured battery parameters during a charging process of the battery. The estimated value corresponds to the maximum temperature in the battery if the charging process is continued without interruption. |
| US09231414B2 |
Device and method to discharge a capacitor for use in the electric power system of an electric drive vehicle
A discharge device and method actively discharge a main capacitor in an electric-power system of an electric-drive vehicle. The discharge device comprises a discharge branch of a circuit that is connected in parallel to the main capacitor and includes a discharge transistor that is biased to “conduction” mode when the main capacitor is required to be discharged. A control device is connected to a “gate/base” terminal of the discharge transistor and commands the discharge transistor, biasing the discharge resistor to “conduction” mode when the main capacitor is required to be discharged. The control device includes a safety capacitor that is interposed between the “gate/base” terminal and a power supply and charges when the discharge transistor is in the “conduction” mode, causing a progressive decrease of current at the “gate/base” terminal, until the discharge transistor is biased to the “non-conductive” state. |
| US09231412B2 |
Resonant system for wireless power transmission to multiple receivers
In a wireless power transfer system with multiple receivers, receiver management may be necessary to effectively provide power to the multiple receivers. In one implementation, receiver management includes sweeping or stepping the transmitter resonant and/or operating frequency. In another implementation, receiver management includes receiver self-management, in which the receiver load current duty cycle is controlled to maintain receiver voltage even in the presence of multiple receivers. In another implementation, receiver management includes receiver self-management, in which one or more receivers use a time-sharing heuristic to identify when other receivers are charging and wait to begin receiving a transfer of power until another receiver has stopped receiving a transfer of power. |
| US09231406B2 |
Mid-voltage variable-frequency driving system and total harmonic distortion compensation control method
A mid-voltage variable-frequency driving system and a total harmonic distortion compensation control method are provided in this invention. The mid-voltage variable-frequency driving system includes a total harmonic distortion compensation unit. The total harmonic distortion compensation unit is used to perform an optimal adjustment on a reactive component reference value of a grid-side phase current, such that a harmonic component of the grid-side phase current may be reduced and a power factor of a three-phase switch-mode rectifier module within the mid-voltage variable-frequency driving system may be maintained. |
| US09231405B2 |
System and method for operating a distributed energy generating plant using a renewable source of energy
Methods and apparatus are provided for using a renewable source of energy such as solar, wind, or geothermal energy. In some embodiments, the method may include generating electric energy from a renewable form of energy at a plurality of locations at which reside an electric power line associated with an electric power grid. The electric energy generated at each location may be transferred to the electric power line to thereby supply electric energy to the electric power grid. |
| US09231403B2 |
ESD protection circuit with plural avalanche diodes
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit (FIG. 3C) is disclosed. The circuit includes a bipolar transistor (304) having a base, collector, and emitter. Each of a plurality of diodes (308-316) has a first terminal coupled to the base and a second terminal coupled to the collector. The collector is connected to a first terminal (V+). The emitter is connected to a first power supply terminal (V−). |
| US09231402B2 |
Circuit device and method of suppressing a power event
A circuit device includes a diode bridge having a first power input and a second power input and having a first output terminal and a second output terminal. The diode bridge includes a plurality of diodes and a respective plurality of diode bypass elements associated with the plurality of diodes. The circuit device further includes a logic circuit to detect a power event at the first and second power inputs and to selectively activate one or more of the respective plurality of diode bypass elements in response to detecting the power event to limit a rectified power supply at the first and second output terminals. |
| US09231401B2 |
Wireless communication base station with current limiting capability
A wireless communication system base station (20) includes a base station transceiver (26) that has at least one operative component (32) for facilitating wireless communications. A current limiting device (36) includes at least one field effect transistor for selectively controlling current flow to a capacitive stability device (34) associated with at least one of the operative components (32). In the disclosed example, the current limiting device (36) is in series with the capacitive stability device (34) but in parallel with the operative component (32). |
| US09231400B2 |
Voltage transient protection circuitry
Disclosed are advances in the arts with novel and useful voltage transient protection circuitry in configurations which include a bridge circuit in combination with one or more voltage reference, load to ground circuit, and/or snub circuit such that the output node is held at a selected voltage level, preferably mid-rail, and potentially damaging transient voltages are avoided. |
| US09231399B2 |
Devices and methods for overvoltage protection
A circuit protection device includes an overvoltage monitor circuit that is operable to monitor a power supply circuit to detect an overvoltage condition on the power supply circuit and to change a state of an overvoltage output responsive to the overvoltage condition on the power supply circuit. A bi-directional switch is operable to interrupt or limit current flow though the power supply circuit responsive to the change in the state of the overvoltage output. A bi-directional voltage limiter is connected across output terminals of the circuit protection device and is operable to limit an overvoltage to a predefined voltage limit. |
| US09231398B2 |
Cable collector
The present invention relates to a cable collector (1; 101; 201; 301) for collecting and managing a cable (8), for connecting an audio device (20) to user equipment, by means of a connection plug (9) fixed to one end of the cable. The cable collector comprises: a) a main body (2; 102; 202; 302) having a first end portion (3; 103; 203; 303) to which the connection plug (9) is intended to be attached, protruding from a surface (3A) thereof; b) a second end portion (4; 104; 204; 304) having a through passage (7; 107; 207; 307) with inner dimensions smaller than a largest outer diameter (D1) of the connection plug, enabling secure retaining of the latter therein in an active cable collecting state; c) a foldable middle portion (5; 105; 205; 305) joining the two end portions; and d) a cable passage (6) formed within the first and second end portions as well as the middle portion of the main body, said passage being adapted to at least partially accommodate a portion of a cable nearest to the connection plug. The present invention also relates to a cable and cable collector unit. |
| US09231395B2 |
Subsea high voltage terminal assembly
A system and method are provided for a terminal assembly of a subsea motor-compressor. The terminal assembly may include a plurality of terminal ports extending through a hollow spherical body to a cavity defined therein. The terminal assembly may also include a penetrator detachably coupled with the spherical body about each of the plurality of terminal ports. The terminal assembly may further include a mounting port extending through the spherical body to the cavity defined therein. The mounting port may be configured to couple the terminal assembly with a housing of the motor-compressor. |
| US09231394B2 |
Cementitious fibre reinforced composite cross arm
A cross arm is provided, for use in a support structure for conductors within an electrical grid. The cross arm is made of a cementitious composite and has a rough “C” cross sectional shape. Pairs of the cross arms are attached to utility poles in a parallel position on opposite sides of the utility pole. Alternatively, a single cross arm may be attached to a utility pole. Embedded metal or glass fiber reinforced polymer bars extend along the length of the cross arms. |
| US09231393B2 |
Electrical assembly with organizer
Electrical assemblies including various complementary electrical components and plurality of cables are provided. Components of the electrical assemblies are configured such that respective signal conductor ends of the plurality of electrical cables can be isolated from one another and placed in electrical communication with the complementary electrical components using a conductive material. In accordance with some embodiments, the electrical assemblies include organizers that define respective pluralities of cavities and are configured to be attached to the complementary electrical components. In accordance with another embodiment, a leadframe assembly can define a plurality of cavities. The cavities of each of the pluralities of cavities are isolated from each other such that respective signal conductor ends of the plurality of electrical cables can be inserted into respective ones of the pluralities of cavities and placed into electrical communication with the respective complementary electrical components by filling the cavities with conductive material. |
| US09231392B2 |
Electrical device mounting assembly
An electrical assembly having a support, a mounting member and an electrical device attached to the mounting member and the support. The mounting member is a one piece integrally formed unit having an interior cavity for receiving electrical wires from the power source and supplying the electrical wires to the electrical device. The mounting member has a coupling at a first end of the mounting member with internal threads having an annular recess receiving a seal member for forming a weatherproof seal with the support while allowing limited rotational adjustment of the mounting member with the support and maintaining the weatherproof seal. The mounting member has a second end with a coupling having external threads complementing the internal threads of the first coupling to enable a plurality of the mounting members to be coupled together and forming a weatherproof connection between the adjacent mounting members. |
| US09231391B2 |
Electric vehicle charging-socket flap device compatible with pedestrian impacts
A charging-socket flap device for electric vehicles, including: a structure including an aperture and a jacket adjacent to the aperture, the jacket including an orifice; a movable gate forming a flap configured to close the aperture of the structure; an element hinging the gate housed in the jacket; a cover configured to close the orifice of the jacket. The cover is mounted on the orifice of the jacket to be a distance away from the orifice on at least one edge of the orifice in the closed position on the jacket, the cover being kept a distance away from the edge by a support making it possible for the cover to move with a damped movement toward the edge when a region of the vehicle body panel covering the flap device is impacted, or impacted by a pedestrian. |
| US09231390B2 |
Electrical enclosure expandable in the Z direction
An expandable electrical enclosure system is presented where expansion collars can be serially added to an existing base box to increase the dimension of the enclosure in only the Z direction. A removable cover can be disconnected and connected as each expansion collar is added. |
| US09231388B2 |
Conduit connector and method for making and using the same
In one embodiment, the conduit connector can comprise: a body comprising a hollow center capable of receiving a conduit in a receiving end, wherein the hollow center extends from the receiving end to the connecting end; a spring disposed within the hollow center and extending out of the connecting end, wherein the spring comprises engagement tangs extending into the hollow center, toward the connection end, and spring tangs extending past the connection end and spaced apart a distance greater than or equal to an opening diameter in a junction box; and an antishort bush located in the connecting end of the body, retaining the spring in the body. |
| US09231382B2 |
Plasma ignition device and plasma ignition method
A technique of improving the life of a spark plug which generates spark discharge and AC plasma. A plasma ignition device includes a power control section which reduces AC power P after generation of AC plasma in an AC power supply period Sa during which the AC power P is continuously supplied to a spark plug within a maintainable power range Rp within which the AC plasma can be maintained. |
| US09231381B2 |
Ceramic electrode including a perovskite or spinel structure for an ignition device and method of manufacturing
A spark plug and method of construction is provided. The spark plug has a generally annular ceramic insulator extending between a terminal end and a nose end. A conductive shell surrounds at least a portion of the ceramic insulator and a ground electrode having a ground electrode sparking surface is operatively attached to the shell. An elongate center electrode has a body extending between opposite ends. The body of the center electrode is formed of a compacted and sintered conductive or semi-conductive ceramic material. The ceramic material of the body comprises at least one oxide. For example, the body of the center electrode can be formed of a perovskite structure or a spinel structure. |
| US09231377B2 |
Vertical cavity surface emitting laser and atomic oscillator
A vertical cavity surface emitting laser includes: a substrate; and a laminated body which is provided over the substrate, wherein the laminated body includes a first mirror layer, an active layer, and a second mirror layer, in a plan view, the laminated body includes a first distortion imparting portion, a second distortion imparting portion, and a resonance portion which is provided between the first distortion imparting portion and the second distortion imparting portion and resonates light generated by the active layer, and an angle formed by a side surface of the first distortion imparting portion and an upper surface of the substrate, and an angle formed by a side surface of the second distortion imparting portion and the upper surface of the substrate are greater than an angle formed by a side surface of the resonance portion and the upper surface of the substrate. |
| US09231369B2 |
Method for controlling wavelength tunable laser
A method for controlling a wavelength tunable laser is disclosed, wherein a temperature of an optical waveguide is used in the wavelength tunable laser as a driving condition. The method comprises: acquiring a first driving condition from a memory, the wavelength tunable laser being operable to emit light of a first wavelength in the first driving condition; calculating a second driving condition using the first driving condition and a wavelength difference between the first wavelength and a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, the wavelength tunable laser being operable to emit light of the second wavelength in the second driving condition, the second driving condition being calculated under a condition that a temperature of the optical waveguide is always lower than a temperature of the optical waveguide represented by the first driving condition; and driving the wavelength tunable laser based on the second driving condition. |
| US09231367B2 |
Co-modulation of DBR laser and integrated optical amplifier
In an embodiment, a laser chip includes a laser, an optical amplifier, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The laser includes an active region. The optical amplifier is integrated in the laser chip in front of and in optical communication with the laser. The first electrode is electrically coupled to the active region. The second electrode is electrically coupled to the optical amplifier. The first electrode and the second electrode are configured to be electrically coupled to a common direct modulation source. |
| US09231366B2 |
Optical transmitting device and optical transmission system
An optical transmitting device includes: a laser diode to which a first or second driving current is provided; a controller to provide the laser diode with the first driving current to transmit an optical signal and with a plurality of second driving currents, to emit light, different from each other in magnitude during a stop of providing the first driving current; a measuring unit to measure an intensity of the light emitted by the laser diode; a calculator to calculate a threshold current of the laser diode, based on the intensities corresponding to the plurality of second driving currents measured by the measuring unit and magnitudes of the plurality of second driving currents; and a determination unit to determine a precursor of a sudden-death of the laser diode, based on an amount of variation in the threshold current calculated by the calculator during a specific period. |
| US09231365B1 |
Discrete raman amplifier
A discrete Raman amplifier comprises a Raman gain fiber, an input port into the Raman gain fiber for receiving optical signals to be Raman amplified, and an output port out of the Raman gain fiber for emitting Raman-amplified optical signals. A pump light input provides pump light to the Raman gain fiber at a plurality of wavelengths so as to provide Raman amplification over the selected signal wavelength range. Within both the pump light wavelength range and the selected signal wavelength range, the Raman gain fiber has only positive chromatic dispersion, and the Raman gain fiber has a moderate effective area. |
| US09231363B1 |
Optical pumping apparatus for slab lasers and amplifiers
An optical amplifier includes a solid state gain-element. The gain-element is pumped by pump-radiation from a diode-laser bar. The diode-laser radiation is delivered from the diode-laser bar to the gain-element entirely via a tapered light-guide which guides the radiation only in a fast-axis direction of the diode laser bar. The tapering of the light-guide reduces fast-axis divergence of the pump-radiation by about a factor of ten. The pump-radiation is delivered to the gain-element as a line of radiation homogenized in the fast-axis direction. |
| US09231357B1 |
Mid-plane assembly
A mid-plane assembly for use in an IT device includes a circuit board having a first surface and a second surface. At least one drive connector is positioned on the first surface of the circuit board. At least one board connector is positioned on the second surface of the circuit board and at least partially behind the at least one drive connector positioned on the first surface. |
| US09231356B1 |
Electrical connector for transferring high frequency signal
An electrical connector includes a body having a tongue, a row of first terminals insert-molded in the body, a depressed slot, and a positioning slot. The tongue includes a first surface having multiple receiving slots. Each first terminal has a contact portion accommodated in the receiving slot and exposed from the first surface. The first terminals include a pair of differential signal terminals and multiple non-high-speed terminals. The depressed slot is depressed from the first surface, located between contact portions of two differential signal terminals, and in communication with two adjacent receiving slots. The positioning slot is depressed from the first surface, located between contact portions of two adjacent non-high-speed terminals, or of adjacent non-high-speed terminal and differential signal terminal, and in communication with two adjacent receiving slots. The length of the positioning slot is less than the length of the depressed slot. |
| US09231352B2 |
Module, and connection structure of module and mating connector
The invention provides a module being connectable to a mating connector having a tube and including a case and a connector. The case has a through hole that is larger than the tube so as to receive the tube. The connector fits into the tube along a first direction and includes a tuboid shell that includes a lip, first to fourth corners, and guides. The first and second corners are provided where the distal face of the lip meets outer faces on one and the other sides, respectively, of a second direction of the lip. The third and fourth corners are provided where the distal face of the lip meets outer faces on one and the other sides, respectively, of a third direction of the lip. The guides, each at least one of a chamfer, a rounded face, and a curved portion curved inward of the connector, are provided at the respective first to fourth corners. |
| US09231341B2 |
Hand-held power tool
A hand-held power tool is disclosed. The tool has a tool receptacle, an electric motor which drives the tool receptacle, and a machine housing. A two-part supply cable has a first section, which is mechanically fastened inside the machine housing, and a second section, which is coupled to the first section outside of the machine housing by a detachable plug connection. The detachable plug connection locks by rotating around an axis and unlocks along the axis in the case of a tensile load above a limit value. |
| US09231337B2 |
Connector and mounting method therefor
A connector (10) to be mounted on ends of wires (W1) to be installed in a vehicle includes female terminals (20) that are to be connected to the ends of the wires, a housing (30) in which the female terminals (20) are accommodated and from which the wires (W1) are drawn out, and a shield bracket (40) that fixes the housing (30) to a case of a device installed in the vehicle. The shield bracket (40) includes a wire fixing portion (54) between a wire draw-out part (P1) where the wires (W1) are drawn out from the housing (30) and a vibrating part (P2). The wire fixing portion (54) fixes the wires (W1) extending in a direction intersecting an extending direction of the wires (W1) in the vibrating part (P2) where the wires (W1) vibrate as the vehicle vibrates. |
| US09231336B2 |
Device for fixing a cable to a cable outlet connector
The invention relates to a device for fixing a cable to a cable outlet connector (30), consisting of a clamping sleeve (2), a locking collar (20), and a locking slide (10), wherein the locking collar (20) encloses at least a part of the cable outlet connector (30) and at the same time encloses at least a part of the clamping sleeve (2), whereby the clamping sleeve (2) is held on the cable outlet connector (30), and wherein the locking slide (10) can be introduced into a guide (21) of the locking collar (20) provided for this purpose, and wherein the locking slide (10) comprises detent openings (12) which engage via detents (31) of the cable outlet connector (30) provided for this purpose such that the clamping sleeve (2), the locking collar (20) and the cable outlet connector (30) are captively connected to each other. |
| US09231334B2 |
Connector
A connector is configured such that a casing for covering a board is to be mounted on an upper surface of a housing. Connector fitting receptacles are provided side by side in the housing while being spaced apart in a horizontal direction and mating connectors can fit therein. A lever accommodating receptacle is arranged above the connector fitting receptacles and receives a lever for assisting a connection to the mating connector. An upwardly open groove extends along an arrangement direction of the connector fitting receptacles and is provided behind the lever accommodating receptacle in a connecting direction to the mating connector. A hole is provided on a bottom part of the groove and communicates with a clearance between adjacent connector fitting receptacles. |
| US09231333B2 |
Electric connector having a lance supported by a resilient support with a slit and disengageable by a jig
An electric connector includes an electrically insulative housing, and a terminal having an engagement section and inserted into a terminal space formed in the housing in a direction from a rear towards a front of the housing. The housing includes a lance protruding in the housing towards an axis of the terminal space, and is able to engage to and disengage from the engagement section of the terminal. A resilient support resiliently supports the lance such that the lance is able to move away from the axis, and a path is provided through which a jig for disengaging the lance from the engagement section is inserted into the housing through a front of the housing towards the lance along the engagement section. The resilient support is formed with a slit communicating with the path and extending towards the lance from an entrance of the path. |
| US09231331B2 |
Connector identification through proximity sensing
A computing device is disclosed herein. The computing device includes a connector port and a near field communication (NFC) transceiver/receiver to identify a connector approaching the connector port. The computing device also includes an indicator to indicate compatibility of the connector with the connector port. |
| US09231324B2 |
Terminal
A terminal includes an insertion groove for pressing a conductor thereinto disposed between a pair of conductive arm parts, and a slit disposed proximate to the insertion groove. |
| US09231323B1 |
Spacecraft docking connector
An interface connector is provided for connecting homogenous spacecraft cells. The interface connector includes at least one male valve assembly and at least one female valve assembly. The male valve assembly includes an extendable and retractable piston having a central conduit. The female valve assembly has a central bore closed by a ball valve. Preferably, the male and female valves are positioned so that extension of the piston engages the ball valve so as to create a fluid pathway. Various components in the male and female valve assemblies are electrically conductive to allow the transmission of power and data. Further, the male valve assembly is constructed to function as a propulsion thruster when not mated to a female valve assembly. |
| US09231320B2 |
Connector and electronic device including the same
A connector that is configured to be installed on a printed circuit board (PCB) and electrically connected to an external terminal is provided. The connector may include a first port that is disposed on the PCB and is configured to accept a first external terminal into the first port in a first direction, and a second port that is layered on top of the first port and is configured to accept a second external terminal into the second port in a second direction that is formed at an angle from the first direction. |
| US09231316B2 |
Electrical terminal assembly having an insertion groove
A terminal, including an insertion groove to be pressed into by a conductor disposed between a pair of conductive arm parts, where a notched part larger than a width of the insertion groove is disposed at the end of the insertion groove. |
| US09231312B2 |
Terminal-wire assembly
A wiring harness (1) includes a copper wire (3), an aluminum wire (4) and a ground terminal (2) connected to these wires. The ground terminal (2) includes two wire-side terminal portions (11), (12). A conductor barrel (11b) of the first wire-side terminal portion (11) is crimped to have such a first crimping height (H1) that the conductor barrel (11b) can come into contact with a surface of a conductor (3a) of the copper wire (3). A conductor barrel (12b) of the second wire-side terminal portion (12) is crimped to a conductor (4a) of the aluminum wire (4) to have such a second crimping height (H2) lower than the first crimping height (H1) that the conductor barrel (12b) can come into contact with the conductor (4a) of the aluminum wire (4) through an oxide film (4d) covering a surface of the conductor (4a). |
| US09231308B2 |
Feeding apparatus and low noise block down-converter
A feeding apparatus includes a substrate, an annular grounded metal sheet having a first opening and a second opening, a rectangular grounded metal sheet extending from the annular grounded metal sheet toward an interior according to a configuration of a septum polarizer of a waveguide, a first parasitic grounded metal sheet extending from a side of the rectangular grounded metal sheet along a first direction, a second parasitic grounded metal sheet extending from another side of the rectangular grounded metal sheet along a second direction, a first feeding metal sheet extending from the first opening toward the interior and including a first portion, a second portion and a third portion and a second feeding metal sheet extending from the second opening toward the interior and including a fourth portion, a fifth portion and a sixth portion. |
| US09231307B2 |
Monopole antenna
A monopole antenna printed on a substrate is provided. The monopole antenna includes a main body, an extension part, a connection part, a signal feeding terminal, and a ground plane. The main body has a first terminal and a second terminal, and further includes a width varying part and two folds, wherein the width varying part is disposed between the two folds. The extension part is extended toward a first inclined direction of the monopole antenna. The connection part connects the first terminal of the main body and the extension part. The signal feeding terminal is electrically connected to the connection part. The ground plane is adjacent to the signal feeding terminal. |
| US09231304B2 |
Wideband loop antenna and an electronic device including the same
Provided is an antenna. In one aspect, the antenna includes a feed element having a first feed element end and a second feed element end, the first feed element end configured to electrically connect to a positive terminal of a transmission line. The antenna, in this aspect, further includes a loop antenna element having a first loop antenna element end and a second loop antenna element end, wherein the first loop antenna element end is coupled to the second feed element end and the second loop antenna element end is configured to electrically connect to a negative terminal of the transmission line. The antenna, of this aspect, further includes a monopole antenna element having a first monopole antenna element end and a second monopole antenna element end, wherein the first monopole antenna element end is coupled to the second feed element end. |
| US09231303B2 |
Compressive beamforming
A method of antenna array processing. Digitized time-series data from a plurality of antenna elements are divided into a plurality of time windows. A Fourier Transform is performed on a time window of the plurality of time windows for each antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements to generate a plurality of frequency domain vectors. The plurality of antenna elements is divided into a plurality of largest aperture sub-arrays. The frequency domain vectors are compressive beamformed tor the each sub-array to generate a plurality of bearing estimates corresponding to the plurality of sub-arrays. The plurality of bearing estimates from the plurality of sub-arrays are sparsely combined to generate a plurality of frequency-specific bearing estimates. The plurality of frequency-specific bearing estimates are incoherently averaged over a range of frequencies to generate a bearing for a bearing-timing record. A plurality of bearings for the bearing-timing record is generated. |
| US09231301B2 |
Multi-band MIMO antenna
A multi-band antenna system for MIMO applications is adapted to provide high isolation between antennas across a wide range of frequencies. Multiple Isolated Magnetic Dipole (IMD) antennas are co-located and connected with a feed network that can include switches that adjust phase length for transmission lines connecting the antennas. Filtering is integrated into the feed network to improve rejection of unwanted frequencies. Filtering can also be implemented on the antenna structure. Either one or multi-port antennas can be used. |
| US09231297B2 |
Broadband HF antenna fully integrated on a naval ship
There is disclosed a broadband HF antenna, which is fully integrated on a naval ship. This antenna enables to transmit and/or receive radio-frequency waves from a naval ship. The antenna comprises a radiating element and an exciting element. The exciting element excites the radiating element when fed with current. The radiating element is a structural element of the ship itself. |
| US09231296B2 |
Multi-elevational antenna systems and methods of use
The present disclosure provides systems and methods associated with an antenna system comprising a tension member configured to be towed by an aerial platform. In some embodiments, a first end of the tension member may be secured to the aerial platform and the second end may extend unsecured from the aerial platform at a different elevation than the first end. A plurality of antenna assemblies, each comprising at least one antenna, may be secured to and spaced along the length of the tension member. Each of the plurality of antennas may be adapted for use with a particular frequency or frequency bandwidth. For example, each of the plurality of antennas may be adapted or tuned for one or more frequencies useful for synthetic aperture radar (SAR). In some embodiments, a receiving system, a communication link, and/or an antenna location system may be utilized. |
| US09231291B2 |
Electromagnetic bandgap structure and method for manufacturing electromagnetic bandgap structure
An electromagnetic bandgap structure is provided, which includes a ground layer; a first power layer facing an upper portion of the ground layer with a dielectric interposed and comprising at least one first patch and at least one first branch; and a second power layer facing an upper portion of the first power layer with a dielectric interposed and comprising at least one second patch and at least one second branch. |
| US09231289B2 |
Methods and devices for providing a compact resonator
A compact resonator is provided which includes a coupling that is connected to the resonator in between a resonator body and pedestal. The coupling may be keyed or otherwise fixed to prevent it from moving. Both deep drawn and solid resonator designs are provided. |
| US09231285B2 |
Battery device
A battery device has at least two interconnected battery modules and at least one cooling plate arranged between two battery modules for cooling the battery modules. A housing encases the battery device and is provided with a frame structure. The at least one cooling plate is traversed by a flow of fluid and is formed from two metal layers that are connected to one another. Additionally, the at least one cooling plate is connected fixedly at least by its ends to the frame structure and stiffens the frame structure. Thus, the battery device exhibits high power and is robust. |
| US09231283B2 |
Protection monitoring circuit, battery pack, secondary battery monitoring circuit, and protection circuit
A protection monitoring circuit 101 includes a secondary battery monitoring circuit 120 which detects a state of a chargeable and dischargeable secondary battery 110, and a protection circuit 130 which performs an ON/OFF control of a charge control transistor or a discharge control transistor disposed between the secondary battery 110 and a load or a charger device, and protects the secondary battery 110. The secondary battery monitoring circuit outputs a control signal that compulsively turns on/off the charge control transistor or the discharge control transistor, to the protection circuit. The protection circuit 130 performs the ON/OFF control of the charge control transistor or the discharge control transistor upon receipt of the control signal. |
| US09231279B2 |
Electrode assembly including electrode units having the same length and different widths, and battery cell and device including the electrode assembly
There are provided an electrode assembly, a battery cell including the electrode assembly, and a device including the electrode assembly. The electrode assembly includes a combination of two or more electrode units having the same length and different widths, wherein the electrode units are stacked so that a stepped portion is formed between the electrode units, and electrodes having different polarities face each other at an interface between the electrode units. |
| US09231278B2 |
Electrolyte solution for magnesium battery and magnesium battery containing this electrolyte solution
Provided is an electrolyte solution for a magnesium battery, containing a mesoionic compound represented by the following general formula (1): (in general formula (1), R1 and R2 are each independently a C1-7 hydrocarbyl group or oxygen-containing hydrocarbyl group and X is O or S). |
| US09231277B2 |
Nonaqueous electrolytes and nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary batteries employing the same
A nonaqueous electrolyte containing a monofluorophosphate and/or a difluorophosphate and a compound having a specific chemical structure or specific properties. The nonaqueous electrolyte can contain at least one of a saturated chain hydrocarbon, a saturated cyclic hydrocarbon, an aromatic compound having a halogen atom and an ether having a fluorine atom. |
| US09231268B2 |
Flow battery system with standby mode
A flow battery system includes an ON mode, and OFF mode and a STANDBY mode. The ON mode enables access to a full energy capacity of the flow battery system with regard to an amount of electric power that can be drawn from or stored to the flow battery system. The OFF mode disables access to the full energy capacity and the STANDBY mode enables access to a portion of the full energy capacity. |
| US09231262B2 |
Multi-point fuel cell voltage monitor
A fuel cell voltage monitor (12a, 12b, 40, 140, 440) detects and may respond to, a problematic operating condition at or near a fuel cell (10) or within a subset (n) of fuel cells, as in a fuel cell stack assembly (110). Two or more co-planar, spaced voltage leads or contacts in a fuel cell plane, as at a separator plate, detect the presence of a voltage difference within the plate/plane as an indication of an operating problem at or near the fuel cell. Placement of such arrangements of at least two spaced voltage leads at various subset intervals (n), of fuel cells in a stack assembly allow monitoring for such problems throughout the stack assembly, either by analysis of voltage difference between co-planar leads at respective individual fuel cells or by comparison of voltage differences between aligned pairs of voltage leads at opposite ends of a subset. |
| US09231260B2 |
System and method for redistribution of the flow of fuel under faulted conditions in a fuel cell system
A system and method for redistribution of the flow of fuel under faulted conditions in a fuel cell system is disclosed. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack; a fuel tank for storing fuel; fuel injectors that sequentially supply fuel from the fuel tank to the fuel cell stack; and a controller for determining whether a fault condition exists in one of the fuel injectors. If a fault condition exists in the first injector, the controller is capable of redistributing the flow of fuel from a first injector to a second injector. |
| US09231259B2 |
Fuel cell stack
A fuel cell stack includes a stack body formed by stacking a plurality of power generation cells. At one end of the stack body, a terminal plate, an insulating member, and an end plate are stacked. At the other end of the stack body, a terminal plate, an insulating member, and an end plate are stacked. A coolant channel is formed between the insulating member and the end plate for allowing a coolant to flow along a surface of the end plate. |
| US09231258B2 |
Cooling system for a fuel cell
The invention relates to a cooling system for a fuel cell, comprising a main heat-transfer-fluid circuit including a circulation pump (6) and a heat exchanger (8) with the exterior, which feed an upstream pipe (12) supplying the fluid to the cells (4) of the fuel cell, said fluid leaving the cells via a downstream pipe (14) in order to return to the main pump. The invention is characterized in that the main circuit comprises a three-port controlled valve (10, 16) on each upstream (12) and downstream (14) pipe, the third available port (10c) of the upstream pipe (12) being connected to the inlet of the pump (6) and the third available port (16c) of the downstream pipe (14) being connected to the outlet of the pump in order to establish a secondary fluid circuit. |
| US09231255B2 |
Lithium-ion secondary battery
According to one embodiment, a lithium-ion secondary battery includes a first current collector, a first layer, and a separator. The first current collector has a plurality of first recesses on a surface of the first current collector. The first layer is provided on the first current collector. The layer includes a first active material body, a first binder, and a first conductive body. The separator is provided in the first recesses via the first layer and including a fiber. |
| US09231248B2 |
Electrode, nonaqueous electrolyte battery, and battery pack
According to one embodiment, an electrode includes a current collector, an active material-containing layer, a first peak, a second peak and a pore volume. The active material-containing layer contains an active material having a lithium absorption potential of 0.4 V (vs. Li/Li+) or more. The first peak has a mode diameter of 0.01 to 0.1 μm in a diameter distribution of pores detected by mercury porosimetry. The second peak has a mode diameter of 0.2 μm (exclusive) to 1 μm (inclusive) in the diameter distribution of pores. The pore volume detected by the mercury porosimetry is within a range of 0.1 to 0.3 mL per gram of a weight of the electrode excluding a weight of the current collector. |
| US09231244B2 |
Positive electrode active material for lithium ion battery, method of producing the same, electrode for lithium ion battery, and lithium ion battery
Provided is a positive electrode active material for lithium ion batteries, which is capable of realizing stability and safety at a high voltage, a high energy density, high load characteristics, and long-term cycle characteristics by controlling a crystal shape of LiMnPO4 particles having a crystal structure very suitable for Li diffusion or controlling an average primary particle size, a production method thereof, an electrode for lithium ion batteries, and a lithium ion battery. The positive electrode active material for lithium ion batteries of the invention is a positive electrode active material for lithium ion batteries, which is formed from LiMnPO4. Values of lattice constants a, b, and c, which are calculated from an X-ray diffraction pattern, satisfy 10.41 Å |
| US09231242B2 |
Method for producing non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, and method for producing negative electrode paste
A method for producing a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes: subjecting a mixture of a negative-electrode active material on which oil has been adsorbed, CMC and water to hard kneading to prepare a primary kneaded mixture; diluting the primary kneaded mixture with water to prepare a slurry; and adding a binder to the slurry. The method further includes defining an amount of the oil to a value equal to or more than 50 ml/100 g and equal to or less than 62 ml/100 g, wherein the amount of the oil is an amount at the time when the viscosity characteristics of the negative-electrode active material exhibits 70% of the maximum torque that is generated when the oil is titrated onto the negative-electrode active material. The 1% aqueous solution viscosity of the CMC is defined to a value equal to or more than 6000 mPa·s and equal to or less than 8000 mPa·s. |